Royal Caribbean’s ‘Anthem of the Seas’ returns to NJ after Coast Guard rescues passenger

BAYONNE - Royal Caribbean’s “Anthem of the Seas” is docked at Cape Liberty Cruise Port this morning after its scheduled return from The Bahamas, less than two days after an ailing passenger was plucked from the cruise ship by the Coast Guard.

In a statement, the Coast Guard said its Fifth District command center in Virginia received a medical evacuation request on Friday evening, to transfer a woman with internal bleeding aboard to a hospital on land. The assistance was requested by members of the ship’s crew.

At the time of the emergency, “Anthem of the Seas” — which is 1,141 feet in length, has a crew of 1,500 and a capacity to accommodate 4,905 passengers — was about 231 miles southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, the statement said.

Coast Guard watch officers dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a Lockheed HC-130 search and rescue plane from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina, the statement said. 

Upon arrival, the helicopter “hoisted the woman and a family member” up to the aircraft and flew her to New Hanover Regional Hospital in Wilmington, North Carolina. The patient was not identified.

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Video of the dramatic, night-time rescue taken by Petty Officer 3rd Class Breanna Centeno aboard the HC-130 shows the patient being lifted from the deck of the cruise ship in rough seas. Watch the video above.

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“Launching far offshore and at night can be complex and challenging,” said Chief Petty Officer Brian Gainey, operations unit watchstander at the Fifth District command center. “Cases like this demonstrate how the hard work and consistent training from our members allow us to safely carry out missions and successfully help those in need.”

Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com