Cruise vacation takes frightening turn as passenger is airlifted from ship

A cruise vacation took a frightening turn when a passenger experiencing a medical emergency had to be airlifted recently from a ship sailing near Canada.

The passenger was aboard the Celebrity Solstice when additional medical care was needed, prompting a response from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), according to a news release from Esquimalt Public Affairs shared with Fox News Digital.

A Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter and rescue team were deployed to the ship, with search and rescue technicians lowered onto the vessel to assist with the evacuation.

CRUISE SHIP BATTLES ROUGH PACIFIC SEAS TO SAVE INJURED, STRANDED SAILOR The passenger was then airlifted from the cruise ship and transported to shore for hospital care, the same source noted.

"A guest experienced a medical emergency while sailing.

Since they required additional care, we facilitated their medical disembarkation," a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Royal Caribbean Group owns Celebrity Solstice through its ownership of its subsidiary brand, Celebrity Cruises.

Lynn Elmhirst, producer and host of the travel series "World's Greatest Cruises," told Fox News Digital that medical emergencies can become more complicated when travelers are at sea and far from major cities.

Elmhirst noted that the coastline between Vancouver and Alaska includes long stretches without major cities and hospitals, which can complicate an emergency evacuation.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "The more remote you are, the more difficult it is to get that medical evacuation ," she said.

The incident also serves as a reminder for cruise passengers to understand their insurance coverage before setting sail, according to Elmhirst.

"I think from a guest's perspective, there are two really important takeaways from hearing about a medical evacuation at sea," she said.

"One is making sure that you have sufficient medical travel insurance." CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES Elmhirst said travelers should check whether their coverage includes medical evacuation, hospital stays and repatriation if they need assistance returning home.

"Even if you have really good health insurance, it may not cover travel," she said.