Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a call at 7:50 p.m. today from the captain of the cruise ship Inspiration, home-ported in the Bahamas, that a passenger, George Hondronihalis, 58, hometown unknown, was suffering from chest pains and needed medical attention.

A Coast Guard cutter in the area was diverted to the ship's location and, at 9:15 p.m., transferred the patient, along with one of the ship's nurses, from the cruise ship to the cutter. 

At about 10 p.m. the cutter transferred the patient to a 41-foot rescue boat from Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg that had EMS personnel aboard. 

The cutter brought the nurse back to the cruise ship. 

At 11 p.m. the rescue crew transferred the patient to EMS at Tierra Verde Boat Ramp in Ft. Desoto, Fla.  EMS personnel brought Hondronihalis to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg where he is reported to be in stable condition.