The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(NEW ORLEANS) (April 16) — The Coast Guard medevaced two crewmembers aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel Okeanos Explorer 264 miles southwest of New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico, Tuesday.
Watchstanders at the 8th Coast Guard District received a report of two injured crewmembers aboard the NOAA vessel Okeanos Explorer. One crewmember reported a dislocated shoulder, the other crewmember severed the tip of his finger.
The 8th District launched a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft crew.
The helicopter crew conducted the hoist of the injured crewmembers, refueled at the Magnolia rig and transferred the patients to a local hospital for treatment.
"This case was a textbook example of Coast Guardsmen executing a mission with a lot of moving parts that required a delicate balance," said Lt. Matthew Hardgrove, Air Station New Orleans co-pilot. "Along with the vigilant HC-144 aircrew providing cover overhead, we were able to lily-pad hop to a couple of rigs and get the patients to the hospital safely."
Their condition was unknown.
