Elderly British cruise passenger airlifted at sea by Spanish Coastguard off Galicia

An 82-year-old British cruise passenger has been airlifted to hospital in north-western Spain after suffering an acute medical emergency aboard a luxury liner off the coast of Galicia.

The medical evacuation was requested on Thursday as the upmarket cruise ship Celebrity Apex was navigating the Atlantic ocean on a voyage from Southampton to Leixões, near Porto in northern Portugal.

When the emergency call was issued, the 3,385-passenger vessel was positioned approximately 435 kilometres (270 miles) out at sea.

Maritime rescue controllers at the Finisterre Coastguard Station (Salvamento Marítimo) coordinated the long-range extraction, directing the ship to steam toward dry land to narrow the distance for air rescue crews.

The Coastguard deployed its specialized Helimer 402 search and rescue helicopter, intercepting the cruise ship 333 kilometres (206 miles) off the Galician coast. Aircrews successfully winched the British retiree off the upper deck before flying him directly to A Coruña Airport, where emergency paramedics provided immediate initial medical treatment before transferring him to a local hospital.

The identity of the passenger and the exact nature of his medical condition have not been publicly disclosed by authorities.

The Celebrity Apex, an Edge-class vessel operated by Celebrity Cruises, entered service in 2021. Notable for its "Magic Carpet" cantilevered platform and top-deck open-air park, the vessel was completing the early leg of an Iberian itinerary when the medical emergency occurred.