Medevac Operations Conducted for Sun Princess Passengers Amid Hurricane Milton - 9 October 2024

On 9 October 2024, three passengers aboard the Sun Princess required urgent medical evacuation while the vessel remained stranded approximately 5 miles offshore near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, due to the imminent threat of Hurricane Milton. The ship, operated by Princess Cruises and completing a 16-day transatlantic journey from the UK, was unable to dock at its scheduled port as the port had been closed in preparation for the hurricane.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) coordinated the emergency medical response, conducting helicopter and rescue-boat operations to safely extract the three passengers requiring urgent medical care.

The first medical evacuation involved a male passenger requiring advanced medical care. A helicopter from USCG Air Station Miami was dispatched and successfully airlifted the passenger to shore. Later that same day, two additional passengers were evacuated by USCG rescue boat due to separate health issues. All three operations were completed despite challenging sea conditions brought on by the approaching hurricane.

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• Three passengers required medical evacuation for urgent health issues.

Rescued

• All three passengers requiring medical evacuation were successfully transferred to shore by USCG helicopter and rescue boat.

The United States Coast Guard coordinated the medical evacuation response. USCG Air Station Miami deployed a helicopter for the first evacuation, and USCG rescue boats were used for the subsequent two passenger transfers. Operations were conducted in challenging conditions as Hurricane Milton approached the Florida coast.

The Sun Princess remained offshore near Fort Lauderdale pending the passage of Hurricane Milton and the reopening of the port. The vessel's scheduled operations were affected by the port closure and hurricane threat.