U.S. Coast Guard Rescues Tanker Crewmember After Neck Injury

On Tuesday morning, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew medevaced a 28-year-old seafarer who was injured aboard an oil tanker off the coast of San Francisco.

At approximately 1420 hours on Monday, Coast Guard watchstanders received an email from the crew of the d'Amico product tanker High Progress about a male crewmember who had reportedly fallen and suffered a neck injury.

Due to aircraft limitations, an Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew could not immediately be dispatched to recover the injured man. Watchstanders monitored the man’s condition while the oil tanker continued its course towards San Francisco.

At about 0420 on Tuesday morning, the Dolphin helicopter crew arrived at the Progress' position 65 miles off the coast of San Francisco, hoisted the man aboard and transported him to Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. 

“The quick reaction of the crew aboard High Progress in recognizing the severity of the injury was key in making this rescue successful,” said Lt. Andrew Bacon, Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 helicopter pilot. “Their professionalism helped us quickly get him off the ship.”