A U.S. hospital ship conducted a medical evacuation, or “medevac”, May 27 to assist an ailing Republic of Korea sailor aboard a Republic of Korea Navy (ROK-N) submarine.
At approximately 10:30 a.m. May 26, the Military Sealift Command operated USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) received orders from Commander Task Force (CTF) 73 to render medical assistance to ROK-N submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi (SS 071) in the mid-Pacific. Mercy, which was approximately 18 hours away, altered its track to meet the submarine.
An MH-60S assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 performs a medical evacuation of a sailor from Republic of Korea Submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi to hospital ship USNS Mercy (U.S. Navy photo by Elizabeth Merriam)MH-60S crew members assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 escort a Republic of Korea sailor aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy. The Sailor was recovered from Republic of Korea submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi after Mercy received word he was in need of medical attention. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Brittney Vella)An MH-60S assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 performs a medical evacuation of a sailor from Republic of Korea Submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi to hospital ship USNS Mercy (U.S. Navy photo by Elizabeth Merriam)MH-60S crew members assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 escort a Republic of Korea sailor aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy. The Sailor was recovered from Republic of Korea submarine SSK Lee Eok Gi after Mercy received word he was in need of medical attention. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Brittney Vella)
Mercy is equipped to provide mobile acute medical and surgical services to deployed forces ashore and at sea, and is currently underway in support of Pacific Partnership 2016.
Embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 launched an MH-60S helicopter from Mercy early May 27, recovered the Korean sailor with a team of expert rescue crewmen including Aircrewman Helicopter Second Class Charles Weaver, Aircrewman Helicopter Second Class Vincent Meza and Aircrewman Helicopter Second Class Benjamin McCracken. The HSC 21 team safely hoisted the sailor from the deck of the surfaced submarine and returned him to the hospital ship where he is currently being treated by medical personnel.