Coast Guard, local agencies rescues people in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class John Michelli (archive).

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard and local agencies are rescuing people in flooded areas on Island Road in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, Saturday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received an initial report at approximately 4:30 a.m. of 12 people in distress due to flooding in the residential area of Island Road in Terrebonne Parish.

Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City launched a 24-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew and Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans launched a MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew.

The aircrew hoisted four people and their cat and took them to Houma Air Port.​

Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly, and the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct rescues continues to diminish as the storm approaches landfall and my be non-existent at the height of the storm. The public should be prepared, stay informed, heed storm warnings, and evacuate flood-prone areas if it is still safe to do so.

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Coast Guard airlifts stranded hiker at Ecola State Park

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Levi Read (archive).

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard airlifted a hiker stranded on a rock piling at Ecola State Park, Wednesday night.

An aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, from​ Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, hoisted the uninjured man and transported him to Air Station Astoria.

Coast Guard watchstanders at the Sector Columbia River Command Center received a dispatch from local authorities at 9:18 p.m., that a hiker had stranded himself on rock pilings and was surrounded by water and oncoming waves.

The aircrew launched from Air Station Astoria at 9:35 p.m. and arrived on scene at 9:52 p.m.

The aircrew successfully completed the hoist and arrived at Air Station Astoria at 10:20 p.m.

The Coast Guard reminds the public to stay alert of their surroundings and pay attention to the tides when venturing out on ocean beaches.

More information on recreational safety can be found on the Coast Guard Mobile Application: https://uscgboating.org/mobile/

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Coast Guard medevacs 54-year-old man from 738-foot container ship in San Francisco Bay

A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew medevacs a 54-year-old man from the 738-foot container ship Vittoria in San Francisco Bay, May 20, 2019. The man, the ship's captain, collapsed as the ship was making its way to its anchorage south of Yerba Buena Island. (U.S. Coast Guard video)

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard medevaced a 54-year-old Philippine national in San Francisco Bay, Monday evening.

A harbor pilot aboard the motor vessel Vittoria contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 6:20 p.m., reporting that the ship’s captain had clutched his chest and collapsed as the ship was making way to its anchorage south of Yerba Buena Island.​

A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched to medevac the man.

The Dolphin crew arrived on scene, hoisted the ship’s captain and transferred him to Walnut Creek Medical Center - John Muir Health.​ His condition is unknown.

The Coast Guard flight crew was Lt. Cmdr. Terry Herdliska, pilot; Lt. Catherine Schmitz, pilot; Petty Officer 2nd Class Dan Gossage, rescue swimmer; and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeff Bothman, flight mechanic.​

"This case​ was my first live hoist," said Schmitz. "We train day in and day out to be ready to respond​ and it felt great to put that training into action and​ help someone in need."

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan Akiyama (archive).

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Coast Guard rescues 10 off boat southwest of Neah Bay, Washington

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Sector Field Officer Port Angeles (archive).

SEATTLE —​ The Coast Guard rescued 10 people aboard a vessel in distress 25-miles southwest of Neah Bay, Thursday afternoon.

The crews aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Wahoo and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Station Neah Bay rescued four minors and six adults and escorted the vessel to Neah Bay with no reported injuries.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound responded to a distress call, at 10:15 a.m., from a person aboard the 33-foot recreational vessel, Doesn’t Matter, who reported to be taking on water southwest of Cape Flattery.

All ten persons aboard the vessel reportedly donned life jackets. The master of the vessel attempted to reduce the flooding by engaging the engine and remaining in motion, however, the engine failed and the installed bilge pumps were unable to handle the rate at which water was flowing into the boat.

Sector Puget Sound watchstanders coordinated with the Wahoo and diverted them from a routine patrol in the area, and launched a crew aboard a 47-foot MLB. They also directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and diverted another Dolphin helicopter from Sector Field Office/Air Station Port Angeles.

Crewmembers from the Wahoo launched their small boat with a rescue and assist team that deployed a P-6 dewatering pump to keep the vessel from sinking.

The small-boat crew was able to transfer eight passengers back to the Wahoo for safety, while two adults stayed behind to assist the team members as they worked to locate and secure the source of the flooding.

The source was reported to be a wash-down hose clamp which had broken off. The source was secured and the engine power restored.

The Wahoo escorted the vessel, under its own power, back to Neah Bay. There was no environmental contamination reported.

Coast Guard crewmembers aboard a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Station Neah Bay, and aboard the deployable craft of the Coast Guard Cutter Wahoo, intercept and aid a 33-foot recreational vessel reportedly taking on water, 25-nautical miles southwest of Neah Bay, Wash., May 2, 2019.

Coast Guard responded to a call for help from the vessel, which was reportedly taking on water. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Cutter Wahoo.

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Coast Guard rescues 2 people from grounded vessel

The Coast Guard rescued two people from their vessel near the Stump Lagoon area of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, December 22, 2018. The Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew hoisted the men and transported them to Hopedale Marina. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy video/released)

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard rescued two people from their vessel near the Stump Lagoon area of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report at 10:15 a.m. of a 17-foot outboard motor recreational vessel with 2 people on board that became stuck in mud.

Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew at 11:41 a.m. The aircrew arrived on scene at 12:42 p.m. and hoisted the 2 individuals and transported them to Hopedale Marina in St. Bernard.

The Coast Guard marked the vessel as derelict until the owner can return to salvage.

The individuals were reported in stable condition.

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Coast Guard, Alaska Air National Guard, coordinate efforts, battle elements to rescue two stranded hunters from Punuk Islands, Alaska

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew sits on the ground in Nome after recovering two stranded hunters from the Punuk Islands, near St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, Nov. 29, 2018. The hunters hailed a Ravn Alaska Aircraft as it flies overhead using a VHF-FM radio to report their distress and request a rescue. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Daniel Beshoar.

KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew rescued two stranded hunters on the Punuk Islands, east of St. Lawrence Island, 664 miles Northwest of Kodiak, Alaska, Thursday.

After the aircrew’s roughly 700-mile transit, the men were taken to Nome for further care. One of the men was reported to have been ill for several days, and they had very limited communication devices on hand.

Wednesday, District 17 Command Center watchstanders and RCC Anchorage received an agency assist request from the Alaska State Troopers for two Savoonga male hunters reported to have been stranded after transiting to the Punuk Islands by small boat on Nov. 21. Using a VHF-FM handheld radio, the men were able to hail a Ravn Alaska Aircraft flying overhead and relayed that they were in distress. The men reported that their boat motor was inoperative, therefore leaving them with no means of transportation back to their snow machine on St. Lawrence Island. Ravn Alaska notified RCC Anchorage, who then deployed the 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen via a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130 to assess the condition of the men, drop survival gear to them and provide medical assistance as needed.

District 17 Command Center assumed mission control and directed the launch of an Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew, along with the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter embarked, to aid in the rescue.

After transiting approximately 1,000 miles total, the MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew found both men and transported them both to Nome for further assistance.

“After flying nearly 700 miles across the state of Alaska through snow squalls and freezing fog, we’ve never seen a happier embrace than from that of the stranded hunters greeting their rescuers,” said Lt. Daniel Beshoar, an Air Station Kodiak pilot on the case. “These men were fortunate to have a working radio-it effectively saved their lives.”

Weather on scene was freezing spray, 14-foot seas, gale-force winds and blowing snow.

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Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen crew rescues Good Samaritan following vessel capsizing off Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen with a survivor of a capsized vessel at the Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan Nov. 19, 2018, following his rescue by the Coast Guard aircrew off Point Picua in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew rescued a Good Samaritan boater from the water Monday night, after his vessel ran aground, capsized and sank while rendering assistance to a disabled vessel just off Point Picua in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

"Having the right equipment accessible helped this case have a positive outcome," said Lt. Cmdr. Jim Cepa, Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin aircraft commander. "The gentlemen was wearing his life jacket, which greatly enhanced his survivability and likelihood of detection from our search assets. Our crew was fortunate to be able to help this gentlemen return to safety."

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a call from a 911 emergency operator relaying a report from a source who claimed there seemed to be a disabled vessel near Point Picua and two red flares had been sighted coming from the vessel.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen and a Boat Station San Juan 45-foot Response Boat Medium responded to search for the reported distress and provide any needed rescue assistance.

The Coast Guard crews arrived on scene and reported there was a vessel that was just arriving to shore. The original reporting source, who remained at the scene, relayed that the vessel was the one originally reported to be disabled and that there was still a person in the water from a another vessel that had capsized.

The Coast Guard helicopter crew proceeded to conduct a shoreline search of the area and shortly thereafter located a man in the water waving his hands for assistance. The crew deployed their rescue swimmer via the aircraft’s hoist line, who was able to reach and secure the survivor to his rescue harness and hoist him safely onboard the aircraft.

Following the rescue, the survivor relayed to the Coast Guard aircrew that he had gone out aboard his 10-foot boat to render assistance by taking spare engine to a disabled vessel that had fired two flares. In the process, his vessel ran aground and was struck by a large wave that capsized the boat and forced him into the water until his rescue.

The Coast Guard aircrew transported the survivor to the Luis Munoz Marin Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel received him for further evaluation.

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Coast Guard, Hawaii DMAT medevac Hilo woman to Oahu

The Coast Guard, with an embarked disaster medical assistance team, conducted a medical evacuation of an ill 37-year-old woman from Hilo to Honolulu in the early morning Oct. 20, 2018. Personnel at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center received a request from the Hawaii State Department of Health Hawaii County late Oct. 19 to transport the woman to a higher level of medical care. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Eric Ferree/Released)

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard conducted a medical evacuation of an ill 37-year-old woman from Hilo to Honolulu early Saturday morning. 

“We routinely work with the state department of health and the disaster medical assistance teams to provide critical care and transport to the people of Hawaii and the greater Pacific,” said Lt. Chloe Harmon, a command duty officer with Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu. “Our Hercules aircraft are a workhorse. Their long range and our capable crews are what allow us to be so effective and a resourceful partner in such a vast infrastructure limited region."

The Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew, with an embarked Kalawao Rescue Medical Assistance Team, took the woman aboard in Hilo and safely transferred her to awaiting emergency medical personnel at Barbers Point. They then further transferred her to Queens Medical Center for treatment. 

At 9:19 p.m. Friday personnel at the JRCC received a request from the Hawaii State Department of Health Hawaii County to transport the woman to a higher level of medical care. She is reportedly suffering from a severe infection. 

Following necessary preparation and the arrival of the medical team, the Hercules crew departed the air station around 4 a.m. Saturday. They arrived in Hilo, embarked the woman, and returned to Oahu arriving at about 6:30 a.m.

Air Station Barbers Point maintains four Hercules aircraft for missions, enhancing the readiness of the Coast Guard 14th District with long-range patrol and logistical support capabilities, as well as quick and versatile search and rescue response. On average they are called on to conduct long-range medical transports throughout the Pacific several times a year. In November 2017, A 39-year-old citizen of Ecuador arrived in stable condition to Queen's Medical Center after being medically evacuated 1,353 miles from Kiribati to Hawaii in this manner by the Coast Guard.

The Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management’s Disaster Medical Team (Kalawao Rescue) is a deployable, all-hazards disaster medical response and recovery team which is part of the medical surge capability within the HPP or Hospital Preparedness Program. All team members are volunteer professionals.

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Coast Guard rescues 2 Haitians from disabled vessel 12 miles west of Great Inagua

MH-60 Jayhawk ©USCG

MIAMI—The Coast Guard rescued two Haitian mariners Monday from the disabled 50-foot freighter, Azema, approximately 12 miles west of Great Inagua, Bahamas.

Watchstanders with Coast Guard 7^th District command center received a call from Bahamian authorities reporting a vessel in distress. A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew deployed in Great Inagua was launched.

The helicopter crew arrived on scene with an interpreter to determine the vessel was disabled. Due to heavy seas causing the vessel to take on water, the helicopter crew hoisted the two Haitians and brought them to Great Inagua.

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Coast Guard rescues 62-year-old man north of Islamorada

Robert Vonnegut sits aboard a Coast Guard Station Islamorada 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boat after being rescued by the crewmembers Aug. 27, 2018 near Tavernier, Florida. The boatcrew and a Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 helicopter crew went searching for Vonnegut after watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West received a report from the son of Vonnegut stating his father departed from Sunrise Drive and hadn't returned. (Coast Guard Photo)

MIAMI— The Coast Guard rescued a 62-year-old man reported overdue Monday north of Islamorada.

Rescued was Robert Vonnegut, 62.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West received a report from the son of Vonnegut stating his father departed from Sunrise Drive at approximately 10 p.m., Sunday on a 10-foot blue and white sailing vessel and had not returned.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew located the 10-foot sailing vessel and positively identified Vonnegut approximately two miles south of Tavernier. A Coast Guard Station Islamorada 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement boatcrew embarked Vonnegut with no reported injuries.

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