A Carnival cruise ship had to medically evacuate a 12-year-old boy who was in critical condition. The Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing performed the air evacuation on Saturday, as the ship was more than 350 miles offshore. This information was shared in a press release by the combat search and rescue wing.
Aiden Bridges and his family were aboard the Carnival Venezia cruise ship, cruising along the East Coast on their way back to New York from the Caribbean. Unfortunately, Aiden “fell ill,” as mentioned in a GoFundMe page set up by his mother, Angela Bridges.
Aiden, the young boy, sought medical assistance from the ship’s healthcare professionals. After undergoing an X-ray examination, it was revealed that he had a bowel rupture. The onboard doctors stressed the urgent need for Aiden to be promptly transferred to a hospital in North Carolina for immediate surgical intervention.
Angela Bridges has yet to respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
The ship was currently sailing on a sea day and was expected to return to New York on Monday.
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According to Janna Rowell, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line, the team of Carnival Venezia collaborated with officials from the United States Coast Guard and Air Force on Saturday. They made adjustments to the ship’s course to accommodate a medical helicopter, which was needed to transport a guest on board for treatment ashore. Rowell provided this information in an email statement to USA TODAY.
The 920th Rescue Wing swiftly responded to the call, mobilizing a rescue team from Florida. The team consisted of two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, and two squads of highly trained combat rescue officers and pararescuemen. They immediately set off towards the ship’s location to provide assistance. The flight doctors played a crucial role in determining the most suitable treatment station for Aiden upon his evacuation.
“Working together, the entire wing displayed remarkable efficiency and agility. Through our collective efforts, we managed to expedite the delivery of life-saving aid by a staggering six hours ahead of other response teams,” expressed Capt. Dylan Gann, a pilot from the 301st Rescue Squadron.
Because of the remote location of the ship, the helicopters had to engage in air-to-air refueling. Pararescuemen were lowered down to the ship’s deck, and Aiden and his mother were lifted up into the helicopter.
Mira Simanovsky, a passenger on the cruise, informed USA TODAY that the announcement of a medical evacuation was made through the intercom system. Simanovsky, who happened to be on her balcony at the time, observed two helicopters and army planes circling the ship. Intrigued, she joined other passengers on the deck to witness the ongoing rescue operation.
“It was a frightening experience. Tears were streaming down everyone’s faces,” she shared. As someone who had embarked on 35 cruises before, she confessed that this was the first time she had witnessed such a distressing scene.”
The crowd on the deck erupted into cheers and applause as the mother and her son were lifted to safety.
The rescue mission had taken over eight hours and covered a distance of more than 1,000 miles by the time the aircraft returned to the station.
The Carnival ship continued its journey to New York without any further issues and arrived in New York on Monday morning as scheduled.
In a heartfelt statement on the GoFundMe fundraiser page, Bridges expressed deep gratitude towards all those who have shared their well wishes, prayers, and positive thoughts for their beloved baby and the entire family. She was truly amazed and overwhelmed by the incredible kindness and support they have received during this difficult time.
On Tuesday, Bridges provided an update on Aiden, stating that he still has a challenging journey to full recovery ahead of him.
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