Kitty Hawk offloaded two sailors in Australia earlier this week - one with a broken arm and one with pneumonia. At that point, it was in deep water just off the coast of Australia.
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_kitty_041904,00.html 2 Sailors Evacuated From Kitty Hawk
Associated Press
April 19, 2004,
PERTH, Australia - Two U.S. sailors, one suffering pneumonia and one with a broken arm, were evacuated from their warship stationed off Australia's far northwest coast, officials said Sunday.
The pair were airlifted from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk near Exmouth, 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) north of the city of Perth on Saturday, a defense department spokesman said on condition of anonymity, the Australian Associated Press reported.
A navy plane flew the sailors to an Australian air base in Perth. They were then taken by ambulance to Royal Perth Hospital, where the man suffering from pneumonia was placed in intensive care.
He was in a serious but stable condition, the hospital said.
"He is improving and the outlook at this time is good," a spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
"However, he could still be in the intensive care unit for the next week or so, but at this time, that is the prognosis."
The other sailor was in an orthopedic ward receiving medical attention for his broken arm, the hospital said. It was not known how long he will remain in hospital.
The hospital spokesman said it was not known when the man contracted pneumonia and how his fellow crew mate broke his arm.