SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Borinquen rescued a man from crashing waves on an isolated rock formation along the northern cliff face near Playa Esperanza in Manatí, Monday.
“This rescue is a testament to the intentional and continuous training we conduct at Air Station Borinquen to intervene on someone’s worst day and bring them to safety,” said Lt. Luke M. Dewhirst, Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk aircraft commander for the case. “I am incredibly proud of the safe and efficient work by the crew of 6038, as well as the expert coordination by our operations watchstander and personnel at Sector San Juan; amazing teamwork by all. We are always thankful for the opportunity to assist people in need.”
A 911 emergency system operator relayed a report to Coast Guard Sector San Juan command center watchstanders for a person clinging onto the rocks after going over the cliff face and into the water off Playa Esperanza in Manati. Exhausted from swimming, the survivor was able to climb on top of a sharp rock formation as heavy waves threatened to knock him back into the Atlantic Ocean.
Coast Guard watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Borinquen to conduct the rescue. Once on scene, the Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted the survivor and deployed their rescue swimmer who used a rescue sling to safely hoist him aboard the aircraft. Following the hoist, the Borinquen aircrew transported the survivor to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci airport for transfer to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel, who transported him to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan for evaluation.
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