By Lieutenant Commander Jeff Choat

IN the early hours of November 3, HMAS Toowoomba's Seahawk was launched to conduct a casualty evacuation of a seriously ill 79-year-old woman from ocean liner MV Sea Princess to the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.

The cruise ship had left the Port of Fremantle the previous day and had been conducting officer of the watch exercises with Toowoomba overnight.

Sea Princess's captain requested assistance to evacuate a patient to hospital at 3.25am and the Seahawk launched at first light.

Pilot and aircraft captain Lieutenant Nick Brown said training kicked in as the crew reacted to the task and management of the situation.

"It doesn't get more realistic than this," Lieutenant Brown said.

Once airborne, the Seahawk conducted a reconnaissance and hovered over the transfer point. Wireman Leading Seaman Joel Young was winched down with a paraguard stretcher, followed by a doctor.

The woman was suffering from acute abdominal pain and needed to be placed in the stretcher for transfer.

"The ship was well prepared for our transfer with a fire team closed up," Leading Seaman Ray Solomon said.

"The transfer area was almost 200 feet above the water but there was plenty of room to operate safely and it all went smoothly."

The aircraft departed for a swift transit of more than 70 nautical miles to the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, where the patient was delivered in a stable condition.

Aviation warfare officer Lieutenant Robert McBeath said it was an experience for his team.

"The whole crew got an immense feeling of satisfaction from lending a hand to someone in need," he said.

Toowoomba's Commanding Officer Commander Brendon Zilko was pleased to have assisted.

"We are getting ready to deploy for Operation Slipper and any chance to use our training is welcome and proves we are mission ready," he said.