SEATTLE — A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued a 74-year-old man who had gone missing in the water off Sequim, Saturday.
The MH-65 helicopter crew, from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, located and hoisted the man from the water, and safely transferred him to medical personnel at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles.
Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound watchstanders received a report from the man's wife around 12:20 p.m. that he had gone missing while kayaking with his grandson. A 45-foot Response Boat-medium crew out of Station Port Angeles and the aircrew launched to search the area.
“Thankfully the gentlemen was wearing a life jacket, which aided in both our ability to find him and drastically increased his survivability,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Kayla Gamester, a watchstander at Sector Puget Sound. “His life jacket aided in keeping him afloat, increasing his odds of being seen, and limited his amount of exertion as he wait for assistance.”
Weather on scene at the time of the incident was reported as calm with a water temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit.