Lithuanian military helicopter evacuates passenger from ship in Baltic Sea

A passenger suffering a medical emergency was airlifted from a ferry in the Baltic Sea by a Lithuanian military helicopter on Saturday, the country’s armed forces reported.

The Lithuanian Naval Rescue Coordination Centre received an alert at 16:55 from the ferry Regina Seaways, en route to Klaipėda, stating that a passenger had fallen seriously ill and required urgent hospitalisation, according to the military. The vessel was approximately 50 nautical miles from Klaipėda port at the time.

A Lithuanian Air Force AS-365 rescue helicopter was immediately deployed from the Search and Rescue Base in Nemirseta. The aircraft retrieved the patient from the ship and transported them to Klaipėda, landing near the Seamen’s Hospital at 18:10. The passenger was then transferred to emergency medical services for treatment.