Crew Member Airlifted from Ship off Cyprus Coast

A crew member aboard a merchant vessel off the coast of Cyprus was rescued by helicopter on Tuesday night after requiring urgent medical attention. The Republic of Cyprus activated its national emergency response plan, “Nearchos,” to carry out the operation.

According to emergency services, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on April 30, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) initiated the "Nearchos" Search and Rescue Plan to evacuate a crew member from a merchant ship located about 65 nautical miles southwest of the island, within Cyprus’s designated search and rescue zone.

A helicopter from the 460th Search and Rescue Squadron of the National Guard Air Command was dispatched for the mission, accompanied by a specially trained paramedic from the ambulance service.

The patient was safely transferred to Paphos General Hospital and arrived at around 11:30 p.m. No additional details about their condition have been released.