KODIAK, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced an ailing fisherman from the 46-foot fishing vessel Venture in Aniakchak Bay 35 miles northeast of Chignik Friday.

Coast Guard District 17 watchstanders received a call from the crew of the Chignik-based fishing vessel at 12:30 p.m. requesting a medevac for the man who was reportedly suffering from cardiac complications. The duty Coast Guard flight surgeon was consulted and recommended the medevac. The Coast Guard launched the rescue helicopter crew from Kodiak within about 30 minutes of the request.

The Jayhawk crew arrived on scene with the fishing vessel Venture at 3:28 p.m., safely hoisted the 58-year-old crewmember aboard the rescue helicopter and delivered him to emergency medical services in Port Heiden at 4:35 p.m. He was further medevaced to Anchorage by a Guardian Flight air ambulance.

“In a medevac case like this time is crucial,” said Lt. Sarah Morin, a search and rescue controller with the District 17 command center in Juneau. “We work with our emergency medical partners throughout Alaska to get patients to locations where they can receive the level of care they need as quickly as possible. In this case it was decided that it was best to medevac the man to Port Heiden to meet a Guardian air ambulance for rapid transport to a higher level of medical care in Anchorage rather than for the helicopter to take him to Kodiak.”

Source: USCG