The United States Coast Guard reported on Saturday that they lifted an 87-year-old woman and her nurse from the M/V The World after she began exhibiting symptoms of a heart attack while the ship was in the vicinity of Unimak Island.

The woman, and her nurse, were taken aboard a Kodiak Air Station MH-65 Dolphin chopper that was forward deployed to the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley, after Global Rescue contacted watchstanders at the 17th District Command Center in Anchorage. The medevac was recommended by a Coast Guard Flight Surgeon.

She was taken to Cold Bay and emergency medical personnel waiting there.

“We were fortunate to have the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews in the vicinity of the motor vessel to assist in a timely response,” said Master Chief Petty Officer James Armstrong, D17 Command Center chief. “The expeditious actions of all Coast Guard personnel and The World’s crew ensured this woman received prompt attention to be transferred to higher medical care.”

The M/V The World is the world’s largest privately-owned residential yacht, and has an average occupancy of 150 to 200 residents from 45 different countries. Built in Sweden, the vessel is owned by the residents aboard, many of which, never leave the ship as it endlessly sails the world.

The  vessel was the largest passenger ship to transit the Northwest Passage. It did so in 2012, setting sail from Nome on August 18th, and arriving in Nuuk, Greenland on September 12th. 

The ocean-going vessel has all the amenities of home, that includes a deli, grocery store, many various sports activity centers, six restaurants, a movie theatre, library and live musical performances. 

The elderly woman was hoisted from the ship as it reached the last area in the Aleutians on its schedule, before sailing to southeast and on to the Lower 48, Mexico, Central America and on to Florida. Each year, the residents decide where in the world they are sailing.

Traveling at 18.5 knots, the crew outnumbers the residents at 280.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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