Coast Guard rescues offshore fisherman in ‘extremely difficult conditions’ [video]
The U.S. Coast Guard came to the rescue of a fishing boat crew member who fell ill last week.
Dispatchers received a notification from the 90-foot fishing vessel “Settler” shortly after 8:30 p.m. on May 22 that a 51-year-old man was experiencing chest pains
That sparked the launch of a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City, which arrived at the scene 60 miles east of Atlantic City around 11:45 p.m.
The crew then hoisted the man into helicopter and transferred him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for treatment.
“The conditions made for an extremely difficult rescue, but because of teamwork and training for rough conditions, we were able to help the man,” said Lt. Kevin Smith, a pilot on the case.
“This case highlights how important it is for vessels to have operational communication equipment on board their vessel. The VHF marine radio enabled us to communicate with the crew and formulate a plan to transport the man to proper medical care,” he added.
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