Coast Guard medevacs woman from cruise ship in Gulf of Mexico

The Coast Guard medevaced a woman from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 230 nautical miles off shore Southwest Pass, Louisiana, November 17, 2018.

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard medevaced a woman from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 230 nautical miles off shore Southwest Pass, Louisiana, Saturday.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center received a report from the cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway at 9:15 a.m. of a 64-year-old female suffering from abdominal pain.

District watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry air crew and a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter air crew to medevac the woman.

The helicopter crew hoisted the woman and transferred her to West Jefferson Medical Center in fair condition.

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Coast Guard responding to vessel adrift in Gulf of Mexico

MH-60 Jayhawk ©USCG (archive)

NEW ORLEANS -- The Coast Guard is responding to a vessel adrift in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 80 nautical miles south of Cape San Blas, Florida, Wednesday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 2 p.m. from crewmembers aboard a NOAA ship, the Gordon Gunter, that a 30-foot white sailboat named My Time appeared to be floating adrift.

Members aboard the Gordon Gunter reported that the My Time appeared to have electronics operating, sails stowed, and did not respond to radio calls or the ship’s horn. Due to the sea state the NOAA vessel was not able to deploy their small boat for further investigation.

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater launched a Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk air crew to investigate, but due to deteriorating weather they returned to base. Coast Guard Cutter Marlin crewmembers and an Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry air crew have plans to launch to investigate as soon as weather permits.

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is requested to call the Sector Mobile Command Center at 251-441-6211.

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Coast Guard stages crews for Hurricane Michael response

Aircraft and personnel from multiple Coast Guard Air Stations are staged at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama, in preparation for possible Hurricane Michael response operations October 10, 2018. The Coast Guard urges all mariners to continuously monitor local and national weather sources and avoid coastal areas that may be impacted by the storm.

MOBILE, Ala. — Coast Guard crews are staged for Hurricane Michael response in the coastal portions of Alabama and Florida, Wednesday. 

The Coast Guard has pre-staged shallow-water response teams, maritime environmental response teams, air assets, and a communication asset along the Alabama and Florida coasts.

“Coast Guard Sector Mobile is currently preparing assets and personnel throughout the Gulf Coast for post-storm search and rescue, as well as pollution response efforts in the wake of Hurricane Michael,” said Cmdr. Jason Franz, Hurricane Michael Sector Mobile incident commander. “Coast Guard cutters and rescue aircraft are making all necessary arrangements for immediate action. Mariners are still advised to refrain from getting underway. Debris in the water, such as drifting or unaccounted for aids to navigation, should be of serious concern to all mariners.”

The general public should remain aware of heavy rain, wind, and flood conditions. If you, your friends or family need emergency assistance, call 911 and provide your location, zip code, street name and number of people in need of assistance. 

Coast Guard Sector Mobile incident command post can be contacted 24-hours a day on Channel 16, or via phone at 251-441-6413 or 251-441-6211. Do not call for rescue if you are not in a life-threatening situation. Rescue teams are prioritizing rescues by urgency. We are not able to facilitate requests for assistance on social media.

For those who want to volunteer with search and rescue efforts, please call 850-815-4896. 

To help those affected by Hurricane Michael, you can donate through the American Red Cross.

Anyone wanting to help Coast Guard members impacted by Hurricane Michael should visit the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Program. 

For frequent updates, please visit Twitter and Facebook at https://twitter.com/USCGHeartland and https://www.facebook.com/uscgheartland/.

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