The U.S. Coast Guard airlifted the captain of a container ship about 50 miles west of Kauai.

The 750-foot Amarantha was bound to Hawaii from Japan when the captain, suffering from abdominal pains, called for help at about 4:45 a.m. Tuesday.

At about 7:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, Coast Guard crews from Air Station Barbers Point was on scene and hoisted the captain from the vessel.

The captain was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center.

“He was in acute pain,” said Coast Guard Lt. Brian Murphy, a search and rescue controller of the container ship captain.  “After careful review with a flight surgeon, we determined it wise to hoist him to medical care in Honolulu.”

This is the third medical evacuation from a ship in four days for Coast Guard Hawaii personnel.

(Source: KHNL 8 News)