A Coast Guard air crew has deployed to assist with the medical evacuation of two inured and ill cruise ship passengers from American Samoa Monday.

A Coast Guard C-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Barbers Point will meet the two patients in American Samoa and transport them to Honolulu. Medical staff from Kalawao Rescue will provide care during the approximately 10 hour return flight.

The C-130 crew and passengers are scheduled to return to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point at approximately 9 a.m.

The two passengers suffered injury and illness during unrelated incidents while underway aboard the cruise ship Star Princess. One passenger is a 91-year-old male and the other is an 82-year-old female.

The Coast Guard received notification Monday and the C-130 crew was deployed at 2 p.m. after a Coast Guard flight surgeon determined that it was the aircrew could conduct transport 48 hours faster and deliver passengers to facilities more capable of meeting their medical needs.