Cruise ship passenger suffering heart attack flown to Scripps - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8

Cruise ship passenger suffering heart attack flown to Scripps

Officials reported Saturday that a 69-year-old cruise ship passenger suffering from a heart attack 160 miles from San Diego was medically evacuated by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

The Coast Guard San Diego office received the medical evacuation request from the Netherlands-flagged Oosterdam around 2:30 p.m. Friday, said USCG Petty Officer 2nd Class Jetta Disco.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was dispatched to the Holland America cruise ship, steaming about 160 miles south of San Diego, said Disco, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard's San Diego office.

A Coast Guard C-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Sacramento also was dispatched to provide cover for the helicopter during the medical evacuation, she said.

The passenger was choppered to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. He was in stable condition as of Friday night, according to Disco.