Dramatic Sky Princess Medevac (aka Medical disembarkation) of critically ill passenger off Algeria

Ever wondered what happens when someone becomes critically ill at sea, needing immediate medical care beyond the capability of that available on the ship? If the ship is close enough to be reached by a helicopter, the passenger is medically disembarked (medevaced) and taken to a hospital on shore. On October 8, 2025, as the Sky Princess was on a 31 Night itinerary, sailing the Mediterranean Sea between Palermo, Italy and Cadiz, Spain, an elderly passenger experienced a critical medical condition indicating a medical disembarkation, or medevac, about 40 miles off the coast of Northern Algeria. The captain of the Sky Princess, following input from the onboard and shoreside medical teams, altered the ships course to come within about 40 miles of shore of Northern Algeria-within reach of a rescue helicopter. The Algerian Naval Forces Medical services sent a rescue helicopter to pick up and transfer the patient to a hospital in Algeria. The rescue helicopter hovered above the stern of Sky Princess for about 22 minutes in total. Now, watch the entire dramatic process in virtual real-time, end to end, from the final approach to the Sky Princess of the rescue helicopter at the stern, the lowering of the rescue diver, and stretcher bag, and the hoisting of the patient and rescue diver, all the way to the departure from the ship. This video is dedicated to all those involved in saving the life of the passenger.