A U.S. Navy sailor was airlifted from a submarine near Greenland due to a medical emergency.

A U.S. Navy sailor was medevaced from a nuclear-powered submarine near Nuuk, Greenland, on February 21, 2026, after a medical emergency, Danish forces confirmed. The submarine surfaced briefly, an unusual move, and the crew member was airlifted by a Danish helicopter to Nuuk Hospital. Authorities did not disclose the nature of the illness or the submarine’s mission. The incident highlights rare public acknowledgment of submarine operations in the Arctic, a region of growing strategic interest amid U.S. and NATO activities. Greenland remains an autonomous territory within the Danish Realm.