The Sunshine Coast-based LifeFlight aeromedical crew winched a man from a bulk carrier vessel 8 nautical miles offshore.
The rescue chopper was tasked at 11.30am to the anchored ship, off the Sunshine Coast east of Currimundi.
A crewman, aged in his 60s, was reportedly suffering from a medical condition.
The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) flight paramedic and the LifeFlight rescue crewman were winched down onto the ship to treat and retrieve the patient.
All three were then winched safely back into the helicopter.
The patient was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH), in a stable condition.