An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City medevaced a man from a fishing vessel Sunday, June 7, 2015.
The 20-year-old man was medevaced from a 76-foot fishing vessel 50 miles off Ocean City, Md., due to respiratory issues.
(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Leonel Robles)
Video of the hoist is available online
OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Coast Guard medevaced a 20-year-old man Sunday from the fishing vessel Apollo approximately 50 miles east of Ocean City.
The crew of the fishing vessel contacted Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders in Philadelphia at 3:36 p.m. to report the man was in need of immediate medical assistance.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey, arrived at the fishing vessel at 5 p.m., hoisted the man aboard the helicopter and transferred him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for further medical assistance.
“The vessel was a difficult platform to hoist to because of the outriggers and multiple rigging lines, which posed hazards to the hoist cable and aircraft,” said Lt. Leonel Robles, a helicopter pilot who flew on the case. “Despite all of the challenges the vessel presented, Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyle Thomas, an aviation maintenance technician on the flight crew, remained calm and conned me in perfectly, allowing me to move into position easily, despite the fact I couldn’t see much because of the high altitude I needed to be at due to the riggings on the fishing vessel.”
The aircrew lowered a rescue swimmer down to the fishing vessel to assess the man’s vitals. After providing oxygen and seeing his condition stabilize, the swimmer and aircrew deemed it safe to hoist him to the helicopter.
“After all the hoist training we have conducted, it was muscle memory at that point,” said Thomas. “It was exciting because it was difficult, but all of the training kicked in and everything came together to make this rescue a success.”
The man is reported to be in stable condition.