A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew Tuesday medevacked a 69-year-old man off a fishing vessel in Port Malmesbury, at the south entrance of Chatham Strait.
The F/V Carolyn-L had made a mayday call at 11:25 a.m. to report the man had suffered a possible heart attack, and had been unresponsive for 10-15 minutes before reviving.
A nearby Good Samaritan aboard the F/V Aurora had relayed the information to the Coast Guard, allowing the aircrew to made contact with the Carolyn-L quickly, the Coast Guard said.
The man was flown to Sitka, where EMS personnel were waiting.
“The entire aircrew was very impressed with the master of the Carolyn-L, who safely navigated back to a sheltered bay, dropped anchor, tended to his ailing father, and communicated with Sector Juneau and the helicopter at the same time,” said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Kyle Johnson an Air Station Sitka flight crewmember. “When we arrived on scene, he even dropped the stabilizing arms on the side of the vessel so that we could conduct a safer hoist. He was very composed throughout the entire event.”
