Portuguese Navy coordinates medical rescues of cruise passengers

The Portuguese Navy has coordinated two separate medical rescue operations involving cruise ship passengers in different maritime regions.

In the Azores, a 24-year-old French woman aboard the Bermuda-flagged cruise ship Renaissance was rescued near São Miguel island. She was reportedly suffering from symptoms consistent with appendicitis. A Portuguese Air Force EH-101 helicopter transported her to Terceira island, where she was transferred to a hospital via ambulance.

In the Madeira region, two British passengers aboard the Marella Voyager were also rescued. The first operation involved a man with hypotension and a urinary tract infection approximately 370 kilometers northeast of Funchal. A second operation followed for an 82-year-old woman with a hip fracture located about 130 kilometers north of Funchal. Both patients were evacuated by Portuguese Air Force aircraft and sent to hospital units.