Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska

News Release

Nov. 8, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska Contact: 17th District Public Affairs Office: (907) 487-5700 After Hours: (907) 723-5367

Coast Guard medevacs man from fishing vessel near Cold Bay, Alaska

 

KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew forward deployed to Cold Bay, Alaska, medevaced a man Wednesday from the 154 -foot fishing vessel Defender 260 miles north of Cold Bay.

 

The Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the man at 10:45 a.m. and safely transported him to St. Paul where he was transferred to commercial medical services. He was later transported to Anchorage, Alaska, for further medical care.

 

Coast Guard District 17 command center watchstanders received a call from Health Force Partners at 5:10 a.m. reporting a 21-year-old male crewmember was struck in the head by a 37-pound block of frozen fish and sustained injuries.

 

District 17 watchstanders notified a Coast Guard flight surgeon who directed the launch of the Jayhawk helicopter and crew deployed to Cold Bay to medevac the man.

 

The man was safely transported to St. Paul where he was transferred to commercial medical services.

 

"We had superb levels of communication and coordination between District 17 command center, Air Station Kodiak and the Defender," said Lt. Wade Arnold, District 17 command center watchstander. "Our aircrew safely transported the injured man to a higher level medical care thanks to the quick action of all." 

 

Weather at the scene of the medevac was 20 mph winds and 10-foot seas.