U.S. Coast Guard medevacs crew member from cargo ship 80 miles offshore of Kauaʻi

U.S. Coast Guard personnel on Thursday (June 26) medevaced a crew member from a cargo ship 80 miles offshore of Kauaʻi.

Watchstanders at Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a call at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday (June 24) from the crewing superintendent of the 636-foot cargo ship Aal Kembla, which was about 800 miles northwest of Kauaʻi, saying a 26-year-old crew member had been reportedly experiencing severe abdominal pain for 3 days.

After conferring with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended medevac, watchstanders established regular communications with the vessel’s crew to monitor the patient’s status as the Aal Kembla proceeded toward Hawaiʻi.

Crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane launched at 4:30 a.m. Thursday to conduct a pre-hoist brief with the cargo vessel and provide support during the hoist.

Crew members of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter successfully completed the hoist of the cargo ship crew member at 5:47 a.m. and transported the man to Līhuʻe Airport, where emergency medical services transferred him to Wilcox Medical Center for further treatment.