
An elderly German woman was rescued by the Portuguese Navy after fracturing her femur on a cruise ship near Cabo Espichel early Thursday morning.
The Navy, via the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisboa), coordinated a rescue operation for the 76-year-old passenger on the vessel ‘Europa 2’.
The ship was navigating 37 miles, approximately 68 kilometers, west of Cabo Espichel when it reported the passenger’s injury.
After a medical evaluation by the Center for Observation of Urgent Patients at Sea (CODUMAR), a coordinated medical rescue was enacted with the Portuguese Air Force.
The German national was later transported to a hospital in Lisbon by the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM).
The Navy emphasized its continuous response capability to maritime incidents within national responsibility areas, available 24/7.
The Portuguese Navy rescued over 220 individuals in the first half of 2025, with 248 search and rescue operations documented. From these, 223 people were saved.
MRCC Lisboa recorded 149 incidents, resulting in the rescue of 160 individuals. In the area of responsibility of MRCC Ponta Delgada, 76 search and rescue operations occurred, rescuing 47 individuals.
The MRSC Funchal coordinated 23 search and rescue efforts, rescuing 16 individuals.
The Navy highlighted that various organizations contribute to the success of the search and rescue system, utilizing resources from multiple entities, including the National Maritime Authority, the Portuguese Air Force, and others.
Supporting entities, such as INEM CODU-MAR, Regional and National Civil Protection Services, and Maritime and Port Administrations, play vital roles. Additionally, merchant ships and fishing vessels frequently assist, diverting from their routes to aid in these operations.