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Emergency responders assisted a critically ill passenger aboard the Carnival Firenze while the ship was sailing near Long Beach, Calif.
The passenger was transferred to shore and taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the Long Beach Fire Department
The cruise itinerary was reportedly adjusted, with stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada rescheduled to later dates
Emergency responders in Long Beach, Calif., helped transfer a “critically ill” passenger aboard the Carnival Firenze ship to shore after they experienced a medical emergency mid-cruise.
The Long Beach Fire Department said in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Aug. 25, that crews responded to the ship alongside members of the Long Beach Lifeguard Association to assist on-board crew members with the emergency.
The vessel was situated near the Long Beach Sea Buoy when the first responders arrived at approximately 7 a.m. local time that same day, per the fire department.
Crew members from the lifeguard association and fire department “coordinated the transfer of the patient from the cruise ship and transported the patient to shore, where @longbeachfire paramedics transported the patient to a local area hospital,” per the caption.
Photos in the post show emergency responders heading towards the massive vessel by boat to reach the sick passenger.
A video from the mission also showed crew members standing on a red lifeguard boat positioned next to the cruise ship as they waited for the passenger. The following slide shows another emergency vessel sailing through the vast ocean.
PEOPLE has reached out to Carnival Cruise Line for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
The cruise company confirmed the medical emergency and said the incident occurred while the ship was sailing to Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California, per a statement shared with KTLA.
“Carnival Firenze’s medical team immediately responded and provided care to a guest experiencing a medical emergency,” the cruise line said, per the outlet. “The guest was subsequently transferred to first responders for transportation to an onshore hospital for treatment.”
First responders at the sceneCredit: Long Beach Fire/Instagram
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The statement added that changes to the itinerary had to be made as a result of the emergency: “The ship’s itinerary was adjusted and guests were informed of the change. Catalina Island and Ensenada were rescheduled to the following two days.”
The Carnival Firenze departed for a four-night, round-trip cruise on Monday, Aug. 24, and is set to return on Friday, Aug. 28, after stops at the California island and in Ensenada, Mexico, according to CruiseMapper.
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