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California Air Guard Rescues Ailing Fisherman at Sea

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kevin Nious,
  • 129th Rescue Wing

MOFFETT AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. - A 79-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran and stroke survivor is recuperating after a successful medical evacuation conducted by a team from the 129th Rescue Wing Nov. 8, approximately 400 miles off the coast of San Diego.

The patient was on a chartered fishing trip Nov. 7 when he began experiencing stroke symptoms and the crew sent out a call for medical assistance.

The 129th Operations Group responded, launching a team of pararescuemen, two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and an HC-130J Combat King II to airlift the patient from the fishing vessel to a San Diego area hospital.

“We value individual life,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bevan Hart, the search and rescue duty officer who helped coordinate the mission. “We’ll go to significant effort to bring individuals back safely.”

Once the rescue units located the vessel, pararescuemen hoisted down and assessed the patient. Fortunately, the injured fisherman’s nephew had emergency medical training and kept his uncle stable while help arrived.

“They were happy to see us,” said a pararescueman with the 131st Rescue Squadron. “That’s why we joined this career field, to save lives and help people on their worst days.”

While the patient’s nephew and other fishermen onboard were helpful during the rescue, the boat created a challenge. The vessel’s sizable mast and large fish tanks provided a tight area to conduct hoist operations.

“The greatest challenge was just the nature of the boat and how confined the space was, “said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Schaffer, a special missions aviator who operated the hoist. 

Schaffer and the crew used a 70-foot hoist to airlift the Air Force veteran and his nephew onto a helicopter. During the two-hour flight to the mainland, pararescuemen provided oxygen and monitored the patient’s vital signs.

“It’s incredibly important that we have the capability to conduct civil search rescue,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Taylor Franklin, an HC-130J co-pilot with the 130th Rescue Squadron. Franklin’s squad helped make the mission possible by providing helicopter air-to-air refueling over the Pacific Ocean. “I’ve only been back from (pilot) training for six months and I’ve been on three search and rescue missions. It feels good to execute what we train for.”

The wing coordinated the mission with the U.S. Coast Guard District 11 and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. It was the wing’s 1,166th save.