Coast Guard medevacs man from cruise ship in Chukchi Sea near Kotzebue, Alaska

KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew medevaced a man from the cruise ship Silver Explorer 150 miles west northwest from Kotzebue, Alaska, Friday.

The Jayhawk aircrew hoisted a 35-year-old man from the 318-foot Silver Explorer and safely transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel in Kotzebue. He was then transferred to a commercial medical services flight for further transport to higher level medical care.

Coast Guard District 17 watchstanders received a phone call from the Silver Explorer's cruise line agency reporting a man needed higher level medical care due to reported cardiac problems.

The watchstanders consulted a Coast Guard duty flight surgeon who discussed the man's condition with the cruise ship's doctor. It was determined to direct the Silver Explorer to begin transiting toward Kotzebue in order to be within the Jayhawk's range so the aircrew could conduct the hoist.

"The doctor aboard the Silver Explorer was able to stabilize the man as the ship transited to the rendezvous point," said Lt. Stephen Nolan, District 17 command center duty officer. "With the coordination between the cruise ship and the successful hoisting from the Jayhawk aircrew, we were able to get this man to higher level care."

Weather at the time of the hoist was mostly cloudy, north winds at 20 mph and seas at 7-feet.

-USCG-