A seriously injured crew member working on Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Legend of the Seas, was airlifted in the early hours on Thursday. The medical evacuation was executed while the vessel was sailing 80 kilometers southeast of Wellington, New Zealand. 

Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman said the night-time mission was executed at around 13:30 a.m. in the Cook Strait. After receiving a call from the ship’s captain, notifying that a 20-year-old female crew member suffered a lower back fracture, and was in need of urgent hospital treatment, rescue helicopter was dispatched.

The Rescue Helicopter crew used night vision googles to reach for the ship before they winched and stabilized the woman and then airlifted her.Upon arrival in the capital, the injured Indian crew member was transferred to Wellington Regional Hospital, where she is in a stable condition.

Royal Caribbean issued a statement, saying that the Indian woman was injured while on duty. “In an effort to provide her with medical care as quickly as possible, we contacted authorities and requested a medical evacuation by helicopter. We are keeping our colleague in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery."