Video: Tanker Crewman Medevaced near Oahu
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ron Green
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ron Green
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Ron Green
An ailing crewmember aboard an oil tanker was medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard roughly 12 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, Wednesday.
The crewman, a 45-year-old citizen of India, was said to be suffering from heart attack symptoms when personnel aboard the ship contacted watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center at 11 a.m. Saturday requesting assistance. The vessel was 1,438 miles from Oahu at the time headed toward the U.S. from Southeast Asia and elected to divert their course toward Honolulu.
A Coast Guard flight surgeon was consulted and recommended the vessel continue toward Honolulu. The man's condition was stable, and plans were made to get him to shore via water taxi. However, when his condition began to deteriorate it was decided that a hoist would be conducted when the vessel arrived 14 miles offshore of Oahu to expedite his access to a higher level of medical care.
A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched from Air Station Barbers Point at 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday and hoisted the man from the 1,050-foot Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Andromeda Voyager at 7 a.m. A video of the medevac is available here.
The crewmember was then transferred him to awaiting emergency medical personnel at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. He was delivered in stable condition.
