Video: Injured Containership Crewman Medevaced off California Coast
An injured crew member was medevaced from a U.K.-flagged containership more than 46 miles west of San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Friday.
The captain of the 1,060-foot Hyundai Jupiter contacted 11th U.S. Coast Guard District command center watchstanders requesting assistance for the ailing mariner who reportedly suffered injuries from a 16-foot fall.
Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27J Spartan aircraft and a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco Forward Operating Base Mugu MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist.
Once on the scene, the Dolphin crew lowered the rescue swimmer, along with a stretcher, to hoist the 27-year-old patient into the helicopter and transported the man to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in stable condition.
"The offshore environment always tries to throw surprises-especially with the fog bank not predicted to be to the surface," said Lt. Kristin Euchler, the MH-65 Dolphin co-pilot for this rescue. "Luckily with all the prior coordination, we were able to shoot the approach through the clouds with a solid radar hit of the large vessel. The coordination between District 11, the vessel and the C-27 overhead was crucial in finding the vessel. The teamwork from all watchstanders and the vessel allowed for accurate fuel planning and success of the rescue window for the patient."