Photo Release: Coast Guard medevacs man from yacht near Ketchikan, Alaska

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 06/09/2021 05:11 PM EDT

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U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 428-4140
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Coast Guard medevacs man from yacht near Ketchikan, Alaska

Coast Guard Station Ketchikan crew members, Petty Officer 3rd Class Corben Hill (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Caleb Hoskins work a tow line for a yacht near Ketchikan, after another Ketchikan crew medevaced the yacht's captain June 9, 2021. The earlier boat crew worked with paramedics from South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department to transport the 86-year-old yacht captain to EMS on shore, after he experienced stroke symptoms. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman George Haver.

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.


KETCHIKAN, Alaska — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a yacht anchored in Blank Inlet near Gravina Island, southwest of Ketchikan, today.

A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Ketchikan, along with two paramedics from South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, medevaced the 86-year-old man, who was reportedly experiencing stroke-like symptoms, and brought him to awaiting South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department EMS in Ketchikan.

Watchstanders in the Sector Juneau command center received a call at about 5:20 a.m. from the captain of the 55-foot yacht Graceful Lady, reporting intense pain and paralysis in his right leg. The Station Ketchikan response boat crew and volunteer paramedics arrived on scene at about 6:05 a.m.

"We have an excellent partnership with South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department and we're proud to have worked together to get this man to the care he needed as quickly as possible this morning," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Isaak Linkous, response boat operator for the medevac.

Due to the lack of available commercial services, a second boat crew from Station Ketchikan was dispatched to tow the yacht, which still had three inexperienced mariners aboard, to Ketchikan.

On-scene conditions at the time of the medevac were 1-foot seas, no wind, 10-mile visibility and light rain.

The yacht's home port is listed as San Diego, California.

-USCG-