Coast Guard medevacs mariner 260 miles offshore from Cape Lookout, North Carolina

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic Contact: 5th District Public Affairs Office: (757) 398-6272 After Hours: (757) 434-7712 5th District online newsroom

Coast Guard medevacs mariner 260 miles offshore from Cape Lookout, North Carolina

CAPE LOOKOUT, N.C. — The Coast Guard medevaced an oil tanker crewmember from an approximately 260 miles southeast of Cape Lookout Thursday evening.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard's 5th District command center were notified by watchstanders from the Coast Guard's 7th District command center that a 39-year-old man aboard the 723-foot oil tanker New Activity reportedly suffered injuries after experiencing a fall and was in need of a medevac.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew and an HC-130J Hercules aircrew launched from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City. 

The Hercules aircrew arrived first, providing visual oversight and communications support while crewmembers aboard the Jayhawk arrived on-scene and hoisted the man aboard the helicopter.

The mariner was medevaced to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point where he was transferred to an emergency medical services helicopter aircrew, who brought him to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.

"Cases far offshore require a great deal of cooperation and coordination, and our partners at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point were able to provide everything necessary in these areas," said Lt. Christopher Saylor, command duty officer at the Coast Guard's 5th District command center. "The ability of the tanker to contact and communicate their need for medical assistance was also an expediting factor in this rescue, and helped aircrews to determine the fastest course of action to take."

-USCG-