Response Boat Evacuates Casualty From 1,000-ft Laker

The Coast Guard has conducted an emergency medical evacuation of a sick crewmember from the 1,000-foot laker 'Edwin H. Gott' operating approximately 40 miles northwest of Bayfield, Wis. in Lake Superior.

The laker reported that a crewmember aboard was experiencing symptoms of a stroke and the captain later  reported that the 60-year-old man's medical condition had been deteriorating rapidly throughout the early morning.

SAR coordinators at Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste Marie, Mich., immediately directed the launch of a boatcrew from Station Bayfield, Wis., aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium. The SAR coordinator consulted the on-call Coast Guard flight surgeon, who recommended proceeding with the medevac.

The Station Bayfield boatcrew arrived on scene to have the casualty lowered by crane in a rescue basket to the deck of the Coast Guard boat, which had  two emergency medical technicians on board who provided medical care to the patient while they transited back to shore.

On arrival the patient was transferred the man to local emergency medical services waiting on shore. Local EMS transferred the man to the Ashland Memorial Medical Center. The Coast Guard add that the man's condition is unknown.