The US Coast Guard performed a medical rescue evacuation of two crewmembers who reportedly suffered from second-degree burns on the NCL cruise ship Norwegian Escape on Monday evening. A officer onboard contacted watchstanders at the Fifth District command center at 3:50 p.m. requesting an urgent medical evacuation of two Filipino crewmen, 25 and 26 years of age, who suffered burns caused by a fire in the engine room. At the time of the accident Norwegian Escape was sailing 24 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

Shortly after the emergency call, the Coast Guard dispatched a Jayhawk MH-60T rescue helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City. Once the helicopter crew reached the cruise ship injured man were hoisted up together with the ship’s doctor, and transported to the Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport. From there they were rushed to a local hospital with burns over about 50 percent of their bodies, says the Coast Guard report.

“Our crews train for a wide range of situations, so when we are contacted we are prepared to get people the help they need in a timely fashion,” said Thomas A. Botzenhart, Fifth District search and rescue coordinator.