Coast Guard, Signet Maritime Corporation conduct inaugural training

News Release

Jan. 19, 2018 U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas Contact: Lt. Karl Alejandre (361) 438-0176

Coast Guard, Signet Maritime Corporation conduct inaugural training

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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Coast Guard aircrew from Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi conducted the first-ever training evolution with a Signet Maritime Corporation tugboat Thursday in Corpus Christi Bay. 

The Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and the crew of the Signet Polaris conducted hoist training as part of a new mutual training agreement between Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi and Signet Maritime Corporation. 

The training simulates hoisting an injured or sick person from the deck of a moving vessel onto a helicopter for transport to a higher level of medical care. A tugboat is a versatile platform, which can simulate hoisting from many different types of vessels.

“Today’s evolution was a significant step forward in improving our training capabilities,” said Cmdr. Marcus Canady, the air operations officer at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “We thank Signet Maritime Corporation for their cooperation and look forward to many more opportunities for our aviation crews to hone their search and rescue skills and continue to serve South Texas.”

In the future, training with the tugboats will be expanded to incorporate HC-144 airplanes from Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. 

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