US Coast Guard makes long-range Alaska rescue
Several US Coast Guard crews were involved in the rescue of a fisherman that took nearly 17 hours to complete, with the teams flying 1,200 miles to medevac the man.
Several US Coast Guard crews were involved in the rescue of a fisherman that took nearly 17 hours to complete, with the teams flying 1,200 miles to medevac the man.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescued a crewman aboard the commercial fishing vessel Patricia Lee who had been injured after a crab pot hit him in the head early on 7 August. The vessel was around 190 miles from Dutch Harbour, Alaska.
The MH-60 Jayhawk was accompanied by a second MH-60 Jayhawk, as well as an HC-130 Hercules, due to the distance. The first Jayhawk aircrew transited from Kodiak to Cold Bay, then the second Jayhawk aircrew went from Cold Bay to the Patricia Lee to conduct the medevac. The Hercules helped to transport the second Jayhawk crew, as well as acting as a communications platform.
“Alaska presents a unique set of difficulties, one primarily being the remote locations of the cases,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Trevor Frommherz. “It makes conducting medevacs hundreds of miles off shore a co-ordinated team effort, and we are fortunate to have such dynamic crews ready to work together and assist at a moment’s notice.”