The 45-year-old man was aboard the Veritas Viking ship about 190 miles southeast of Galveston when he reported having symptoms of a heart attack. A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Houston flew to the ship's location, where a rescue swimmer was lowered down to hoist him to safety.
The swimmer and the patient were both safely brought onto the helicopter and then flown to Scholes International Airport in Galveston, where they were met by EMS crews.
For the Coast Guard mechanic who lowered the swimmer down, it was his first real life search and rescue case.
"Not only was it my first case, but it was my first night standing flight mechanic duty," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Mitchell Ulrich. "When we got the initial call it was sort of surreal and I quickly reverted back to all the training. It was game time; it was time to work."
At last check, the patient was stable at UTMB in Galveston.
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