The Italian Coast Guard successfully carried out a medical evacuation on February 5, rescuing a 33-year-old female passenger who suffered a stroke while on board the cruise ship Costa Toscana. The emergency took place while the ship was sailing from Palma de Mallorca to Palermo, approximately 20 miles south of Cape Teulada.
 

Ship officers alerted the Operations Section of the Cagliari Coast Guard, which deployed AW139 Nemo 11-05 helicopter from the Decimomannu Air Section. 

The helicopter took off without delay, reaching the cruise ship on time. A winch operation was performed to hoist the patient aboard, ensuring her stability before initiating the flight to Cagliari. The passenger who is a U.S. national was transferred to  Brotzu Hospital in  Cagliari.

"The operation proved to be very complex from the beginning given the critical nature of the woman's conditions," said the official report from the Coast Guard. "The onboard command, recognizing the rapid deterioration of her health, contacted the operational section of the Cagliari Coast Guard. Based on recommendations the decision was made to deploy the AW139 Nemo 11-05 helicopter. The helicopter took off immediately, reached the ship, and successfully conducted the rescue operation using a winch to first stabilize and then transport the patient on board."