Coast Guard helicopter, cutter crew provides fourth medevac in 7 days near Cold Bay, Alaska

USCG MH-65 Dolphin, photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class David Weydert (USCGC Cutter Bertholf archive)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska​ — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a fishing vessel approximately 65 miles northwest of Cold Bay, Monday.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew forward-deployed aboard Coast Guard Cutter John Midgett hoisted the man from the 210-foot fishing vessel Ocean Rover. He was flown to Cold Bay and placed in the care of a​ Guardian Flight crew who brought him to Alaska​ Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

Watchstanders in the Coast Guard 17th District Command Center in Juneau received notification at about 11 p.m. Sunday from Health Force Partners that a 57-year-old male crewman had​ suffered an injury to his finger.

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The Coast Guard duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac.

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Cutter John Midgett was approximately 35 miles southeast of the Ocean Rover with the helicopter crew aboard at the time of the request.

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"This same helicopter crew has now conducted four medevacs over the past week in the vicinity of Cold Bay," said Chief Petty Officer Michael Haselden, command duty officer for the case. "Having this helicopter crew deployed in the Bering Sea with Coast Guard Cutter John Midgett was a strategy that paid off tremendously for the fishing fleet. The cutter crew has worked tirelessly to support the helicopter crew, providing opportunities to land and refuel as necessary."

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On-scene conditions around the time of the hoist included 20-30 mph winds and 6-8 foot seas.

-USCG-