Mariner Was Experiencing Heart Attack Symptoms

The 69-year-old captain of a fishing vessel was medevacked by the U.S. Coast Guard  on October 29 after a call reporting he was experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath.

At around 4:17 p.m., watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center received a call from a crewmember of the 85-foot commercial vessel Triple Andy who reported the captain’s symptoms. The watchstanders consulted with the flight surgeon on duty, who recommended the medevac.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a HC-130 Hercules were dispatched from Air Station Barbers Point and arrived on-scene at about 8 p.m. The helicopter crew descended to the ship in a rescue basket and hoisted the captain up to the helicopter. They then transported him to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was reported to be in stable condition.

In a short video clip of the operation, the rescue basket is seen descending to the boat with a Coast Guard diver on the deck using a guy line to direct it. The captain is then seen being hoisted to the aircraft.

This medevac comes just five days after a similar operation when Coast Guard crews from Air Station Barbers Point airlifted an ill crew member from the Pacific Dragon II about 78 miles northeast of Kahului. That crew member is also reported to be in stable condition at Maui memorial Medical Center.

FMI:  www.news.uscg.mil/