Fisherman aboard Blue North injured

U.S. Coast Guard rescue crews combined efforts to medevac an injured fisherman on Nov. 9 from a 173-foot commercial fishing vessel some 230 miles northwest of St. Paul Island, for transport to medical care in Anchorage.

Coast Guard 17th District watchstanders received a maritime medevac request on the evening of Nov. 9 from the crew of the Blue North, advising that a 41-year-old man had suffered a neck injury while working aboard the vessel.

A Coast Guard duty flight surgeon recommended the medevac.

An Air Station Kodiak MH_60 Jayhawk helicopter crew that was forward deployed at Cold Bay flew to the scene and hoisted the injured fisherman to a waiting Air Station Kodiak C-130 Hercules airplane crew at St. Paul, who took the man on to Anchorage.

Weather at the time was reported as 25-miles-an-hour winds with 10-foot seas.

The Blue North was about 285 miles northwest of St. Paul at the time the Coast Guard was notified, and the crew of the Blue North was instructed to transit toward St. Paul in order to be in hoist range of the helicopter aircrew.

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“Due to the distance, it took a concentrated effort between the watchstanders, fishing vessel and aircrews to coordinate the long-range medevac,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Daugherty, 17th District command duty officer.  It was a complex mission and the Coast Guard was glad to be able to assist the man and get him to the medical care he needed, Daugherty said.

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