Whoo-ee! I'd hate to see that doctor bill.

Navy saves teen whose appendix burst on cruise

Girl fell ill off the coast of Baja California, was helicoptered to military ship

'SAN DIEGO - A teenager whose appendix ruptured at sea, hundreds of miles from help, got safely to shore Tuesday after an unusual rescue in which the Navy airlifted her from a cruise ship for emergency surgery.

Laura Montero, 14, fell ill aboard the Dawn Princess cruise ship off the coast of Baja California. The Bahamian-registered ship sent out a distress call Friday that was answered by the USS Ronald Reagan, which was on training maneuvers about 500 miles away.

The Reagan, which carries as many as 6,000 crew members and costs about $2.5 million a day to operate while under way, returned Tuesday morning, its scheduled return from the training tour.'Navy saves teen whose appendix burst on cruise

“Where the ship was, where the land was and the fact that the Ronald Reagan had (a surgical facility) on board were all factors that came into play,” said Julie Benson. “The option is to go to the nearest medical facility that can treat the patient.”

The Dawn Princess returned to its home port of San Diego over the weekend from its regular weeklong run along the Baja California coast to the resorts of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The Reagan, which carries as many as 6,000 crew members and costs about $2.5 million a day to operate while under way, returned Tuesday morning, its scheduled return from the training tour.'