Helicopter Crew Hoisted And Transported All Nine Crew Members To A Nearby Rig

The Coast Guard rescued 9 people last week from a rig on fire near Sabine Pass, Texas. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a notification at 12:51 p.m. from the dredging vessel Ohio that the Pride Wisconsin, a mobile offshore drilling unit, was on fire in Sabine Pass with nine people aboard.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Sabine Pass 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew and an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist. The Port Arthur Fire Department and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office also responded, all under the coordination of the Sector Houston-Galveston commander center personnel.

The Dolphin crew arrived on-scene, lowered a rescue swimmer and began hoisting the crewmembers. The Dolphin crew transported all nine crewmembers to a nearby rig which was accessible by land allowing the crewmembers to meet with emergency medical services personnel onshore.

Rear Adm. Richard V. Timme, commander, Coast Guard District Eight, presented Air Medals to Cmdr. James Conner, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilot, Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent Neiman, an aviation survival technician, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Collins, an aviation maintenance technician.

Lt. Daniel Chase, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilot and the copilot for this case, also received an Air Medal at Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, the unit to which he is now assigned.

On Feb. 24, Conner, Chase, Neiman and Collins were instrumental in rescuing nine trapped crew members from the Pride Wisconsin, a decommissioned mobile offshore drilling unit that caught fire in Sabine Pass. The helicopter crew hoisted and transported all nine crew members to a nearby rig, which was accessible to emergency medical services personnel on land.

"Saving nine lives is no small feat," said Cmdr. Ryan Matson, commanding officer of Air Station Houston. "The crew's expertise, bravery and heroism forever changed nine families. My mind was put at ease knowing I had an extraordinary crew in that helicopter and I'm so very proud of each of them."

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

FMI: www.uscg.mil