An emergency rescue operation was conducted on Saturday morning in the Adriatic, after a 49-year-old woman of Albanian origin suffered cerebral ischemia while traveling by ferry from Greece to Ancona.
The incident occurred on board the Ro-Pax ferry “Superfast IX”, which at the time of the alarm was located about 68 nautical miles off the coast of Pescara. At around 10:00, the operations room of the Pescara Maritime Directorate received the request for the urgent medical evacuation of the passenger.
After assessing the 49-year-old's condition, the International Radio-Medical Center (CIRM) recommended her immediate transport to land. The ferry was ordered to change course and move at maximum speed towards Pescara, while the Italian Coast Guard launched the CP 828 motorboat and the Nemo 20 helicopter of the Third Helicopter Section of Pescara towards it.
After the helicopter reached the ferry at sea, the operation to extract the passenger began. With the help of a marine rescue specialist, the 49-year-old was lifted from the ship to the helicopter via the onboard crane.
The operation was completed at around 11:40 a.m. According to Italian authorities, the woman was in stable condition but needed ongoing specialized treatment.
The helicopter immediately headed to the Chieti hospital, where at around 12:00 the Albanian woman was handed over to medical personnel for further treatment.
