The U.S. Coast Guard safely medevaced three injured men from a vessel approximately 200 miles south of Kodiak on Monday, April 21.
Two Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews hoisted the men from the 587-foot motor vessel Copacabana and transported them to Kodiak to meet commercial medical flight services who flew the men to higher level medical care in Anchorage. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew, also from Kodiak, managed communications on scene during the hoists and provided a self rescue capability for the Jayhawk crews.
Coast Guard watchstanders at the 17th District command center in Juneau received a report of the three injured crewmen from the master of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Sunday and maintained contact with the vessel’s crew as they changed course to rendezvous with Coast Guard aircrews closer to Kodiak.
A large wave reportedly struck the vessel causing multiple injuries among the three men, and a Coast Guard duty flight surgeon recommended the medieval. The flight surgeon and a health services technician trained in emergency care accompanied the Jayhawk crews to provide in-flight medical care to Copacabana crewmen.
“This case illustrates the importance of our hoist-capable aircraft in Alaska and the ability of our crews to respond statewide to medical emergencies,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Amy Canny, watchstander, 17th District command center. “A great deal of planning goes into a case with multiple aircraft involved and our crews constantly train to conduct these long range missions safely.”
Weather on scene was reportedly seas of 10-foot and winds up to 17 mph. Following the hoists the Copacabana resumed their original voyage.
[mappress] Press Release, April 22, 2014, Image: USCG