USCG Medevacs Sailor from U.S. Navy Destroyer

On Tuesday, a U.S. Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a sailor from a U.S. Navy destroyer off the coast of Washington.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a request for medevac from the crew of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ralph Johnson at about 1030 hours Monday. A 22-year-old female sailor aboard the ship reported chest pains and was being treated by naval medical personnel.

The USS Johnson was operating about 34 miles offshore at the time of the distress call. A Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew rendezvoused with the destroyer at an agreed location at about 0300 hours. However, the aircrew was unable to complete an initial hoist attempt due to hazardous weather conditions. The aircrew returned to Air Station Port Angeles to refuel.

The aircrew launched a second time at about 0530 hours and successfully hoisted the sailor off the destroyer shortly after 0630. The patient was transported to medical personnel at Air Station Port Angeles before being taken to Olympic Medical Center for further treatment.

The USS Ralph Johnson, commissioned last year and homeported in Everett, Washington, is the 64th in the long-running series of Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers.