Video: Bering Sea Medevac in Heavy Swells

On Monday, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew medevaced a badly-injured seafarer from the deck of a crab vessel off the Aleutian Islands, despite foul conditions and heavy swells. 

At about 1000 hours, the 17th District command center received a request for assistance from the crabbing vessel Bountiful, which reported that a crewmember on board had sustained severe burns. After conducting a brief with the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, watchstanders directed the launch of the helicopter crew.

The MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew rendezvoused with the Bountiful at a position about 40 nm to the southwest of St. Paul. On scene, winds exceeded 45 miles an hour and swells were running at 8-12 feet - typical conditions for the Bering Sea in January. Despite the heavy pitching motion of the vessel, the aircrew hoisted the victim aboard the helicopter and headed for St. Paul. He was delivered to medical response personnel that afternoon, then flown onwards to Anchorage for treatment.