January 29, 2015
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced an ailing woman from a cruise ship Thursday approximately 220 miles southeast of Portsmouth.Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 5th District command center in Portsmouth received a call from the Bahama-flagged, 965-foot cruise ship Norwegian Gem at approximately 11:45 a.m., requesting a medevac for a 66-year-old passenger experiencing complications from diabetes.An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, launched at approximately 1:35 p.m.The helicopter crew arrived on scene at approximately 2:20 p.m., hoisted the woman to the helicopter and took her to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk where she was last reported to be in stable condition.