KODIAK, Alaska — U.S. Coast Guard crews across the state of Alaska responded to five rescue cases over three days this weekend, conducting six medevacs, assisting seven people, and saving two lives.
Aug. 25: Coast Guard District 17 command center personnel received a medevac request from the fishing vessel Northern Eagle at 6:20 a.m. for a 26-year-old crewmember experiencing abdominal pain. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew launched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak and hoisted the crewmember at 8:15 p.m. approximately 23 miles northwest of St Paul Island. The man was then flown to St. Paul where he was transferred to commercial emergency medical services at 9:00 p.m. for further care in Anchorage.
Aug. 25 – 26: Coast Guard District 17 command center personnel received a medevac request from the fishing vessel Asian Majesty Aug. 25 at 4:25 p.m. for a 41-year-old male crew member experiencing chest pain. At the time of request, the vessel was approximately 483 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor and was requested to transit to a pre-determined rendezvous point for medevac. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew from Air Station Kodiak launched from Cold Bay, arrived on scene approximately 115 miles south of Dutch Harbor, and hoisted the patient Aug. 26 at 5:15 p.m. The aircrew returned to Cold Bay and transferred the patient to commercial emergency medical services at 7:30 p.m. for further care in Anchorage.
Aug. 26: Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center personnel received a medevac request from the cruise ship Noordam at 12:54 p.m. for an 83-year-old male passenger experiencing stroke-like symptoms in Prince Williams Sound. An MH65 Dolphin helicopter air crew was launched from Coast Guard Forward Operating Location Cordova, arrived on scene near Naked Island, and hoisted the patient at 2:30 p.m. The patient was then transferred to awaiting emergency medical services at Ted Stevens International Airport at 4:30 p.m. for further care.
Aug. 26 – 27: Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska command center personnel received a medevac request Aug. 26 at 8:45 p.m. for a 73-year-old female who experienced a suspected seizure. A 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boat crew from Coast Guard Station Juneau launched with accompanying paramedics onboard. The boat crew arrived on scene near Funter Bay and transferred the patient to the Coast Guard response boat at 1:00 a.m. on Aug. 27. The patient was transferred to Statter Harbor for further care at Bartlett Regional hospital at 1:30 a.m.
Aug. 26 – 27: Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center personnel received a request for assistance from the Cordova Police Department Aug. 26 at 9:24 p.m. for five persons stranded on a beach near Port Gravina and unable to navigate back to their anchored vessel due to unsafe weather conditions. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew launched from Air Station Kodiak, arrived on scene and hoisted two people experiencing symptoms of hypothermia at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 27 before transferring them to Cordova where they were met by awaiting emergency medical services. The rescue swimmer with the aircrew safely assisted the remaining three back to their anchored vessel using their skiff.
“Our crews throughout Alaska responded continuously to people in need of assistance this weekend,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District. “Many of these responses were conducted in adverse conditions. Rough seas, high winds, we’ve seen it all and we responded through it all. I can’t express a greater sense of pride and gratitude to the crews that served our community this weekend. Their service-above-self attitude is what allows us to maintain a high degree of responsiveness and remain ‘Always Ready’ to conduct our missions and save lives.”