Two fishing crewmembers medevaced in separate incidents

Two crewmembers aboard fishing vessels were medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard northeast of Cold Bay in separate rescue operations on Feb. 18 and Feb. 20.

Crew of a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter medevaced a 57-year-old man from the fishing vessel Island Enterprise some 57 miles northeast of Cold Bay on Feb. 18, after receiving a report that the man was found unconscious in the freezer aboard the vessel.

Weather on scene at the time of that medevac was 16 miles an hour, with 8-foot seas and 11.5 miles visibility.

“This case demonstrates the value aircraft and crews forward deployed to Cold Bay provide during the winter fishing season,” said Lt. Cmdr. Orion Bloom, command duty officer for the 17th District.

A crewmember suffering from stroke symptoms was medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard on Feb. 20 from the fishing vessel Golden Alaska, some 60 miles northeast of Cold Bay.

The 44-year-old man was hoisted aboard a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter forward deployed to Cold Bay and transported to Cold Bay for further transport by commercial medical services to Anchorage.

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The rescue came after the Coast Guard 17th District command center received a medevac request from Health Force Partners for a man with stroke symptoms.

“The ability to have a helicopter and crew awaiting situations like this in Cold Bay during the frigid winter months is crucial,” said Bud Holden, a command center watchstander.

Weather on scene during the medevac was 15-knot winds, one-to-three seas and 10 miles visibility.

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