Coast Guard aircrew, good Samaritan boat crew medevac injured vessel captain northeast of Biorka Island, Alaska

An Mh-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka medevacs an injured vessel captain after he reportedly lacerated several fingers aboard a fish processing vessel northeast of Biorka Island, Alaska, July 20, 2019. Good Samaritans aboard the charter fishing vessel North River assisted by transporting the captain from his vessel to a nearby shore where he was transferred to the Jayhawk crew. U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Air Station Sitka.

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard aircrew and a good Samaritan boat crew medevaced a vessel captain after he was injured aboard a fish processing vessel northeast of Biorka Island, Saturday.

The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka transported the captain from shore near the vessel to the air station, where they transferred him to Sitka Fire Department emergency medical services for further care.

At 10.18 a.m. Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received a report from a vessel in the area that the captain of the fish processing vessel Northwind potentially severed several fingers. Around the same time the Jayhawk crew was conducting a training flight in the area, heard a request for help over VHF channel 16 and diverted to respond.

"It was great timing for everybody involved," said Lt. Justin Neal, co-pilot on the response. "We were maybe two minutes away and listening to channel 16 like we always do, somebody called out needing help and we were able to respond."

A good Samaritan crew aboard the charter fishing vessel North River took the captain from the Northwind onto their vessel, then transported him to shore where he was transferred to the Jayhawk crew that landed nearby.

"It was great that everybody was willing to help, and do what was required to get this person to a higher level of care," said Neal.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Kellen Browne (archive).

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs woman from cruise ship near Kake, Alaska

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka medevacs a woman from a cruise ship near Kake, Alaska, June 25, 2019. She was flown to Air Station Sitka and placed in the care of awaiting EMS, then transported to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka. U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Sitka.

SITKA, Alaska — The Coast Guard medevaced a woman from a cruise ship near Kake, Tuesday.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka medevaced the woman who was experiencing serious health complications aboard the Ovation of the Seas in Frederick Sound near Kake. She was flown to Air Station Sitka and placed in the care of awaiting EMS, then transported to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka.

Coast Guard watch standers in the Sector Juneau command center received the request for the medevac at approximately 2:15 p.m.

The aircrew launched from Sitka, along with a Coast Guard corpsman who helped administer oxygen to the patient in flight.

“When we initially received this call, we anticipated being able to hoist this woman to the helicopter in a rescue basket,”said Petty Officer 2nd Class Keith Williams, aviation survival technician on the case. “Her situation had deteriorated by the time we arrived on scene, and I immediately recognized we would need to use a rescue litter. The crew on the cruise ship was extremely helpful in preparing her for the hoist, and with their cooperation we were able to bring this woman to the care she needed in Sitka.”

The woman was alert and responsive upon arriving at the hospital, but was reported to be in critical condition.

The 1,138-foot Ovation of the Seas was headed from Skagway to Victoria, British Columbia.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Kellen Browne (archive).

​

-USCG-