At 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, an urgent alert was issued from the Crown Princess sailing from Fiji to Australia. The vessel was located 210 nautical miles southeast of the Isle of Pines when a passenger required immediate medical attention.

A French Air Force Puma helicopter was dispatched for the evacuation. Following an onboard medical consultation, authorities determined that the patient needed to be transported to Nouméa without delay. The overnight operation concluded at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, when the patient was admitted to the Médipôle hospital.

This is the fifth emergency medical evacuation from a cruise ship in New Caledonian waters in less than two weeks.

December 29: An 85-year-old woman aboard the Queen Elizabeth was airlifted to Nouméa.
December 31: A 17-year-old passenger on the Carnival Luminosa required urgent hospital care.
January 4: Two Australians aboard the Carnival Splendor were evacuated in Nouméa due to respiratory distress.
January 7: The latest case aboard the Crown Princess.