U.S. Coast Guard Alaska Medevacs Fishing Crewmembers

It was a busy weekend for the U.S. Coast Guard as they responded to five rescue cases, including two unwell commercial fishermen.

On August 25th, at approximately 6:20 a.m. watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard District 17 command center received a request for a medevac from the F/V NORTHERN EAGLE. A 26-year-old crewmember was suffering from abdominal pain; an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew was dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. The crew reached the fishing vessel, which was about 23 miles northwest of St. Paul Island, and successfully hoisted the crewmember at about 8:15 p.m. The worker was airlifted to St. Paul, where a transfer was made to emergency medical services at 9:00 p.m. The crewmember received further medical attention in Anchorage.

On August 25th, at about 4:25 p.m., watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard District 17 command center received yet another request for a medevac from the F/V ASIAN MAJESTY. The request pertained to a 41-year-old male crew member who was experiencing chest pain. At the time of the request, the vessel was positioned approximately 483 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The vessel was directed to navigate to a rendezvous point to facilitate the medevac.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew was dispatched from Air Station Kodiak, taking off from Cold Bay. The air crew reached the designated location, which was roughly 115 miles south of Dutch Harbor, on August 26th, and successfully hoisted the crew member aboard the helicopter at 5:15 p.m. The aircrew then flew back to Cold Bay, where the patient was handed over to emergency medical services at 7:30 p.m. then subsequently transferred to Anchorage for a higher level of care.

“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.”

The people at Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC are grateful to the diligent men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard who tirelessly and heroically respond to these situations and help keep our hardworking maritime workers safe and well cared for.