The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla.) — A Coast Guard aircrew from Savannah, Ga., medically evacuated a freighter crewman who was injured on the motor vessel New Pacific more than 200 miles east of Atlantic Beach Wednesday.
The man was hoisted from the vessel, flown to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., and transferred by EMS to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., in stable condition.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center were notified Tuesday night the man suffered a puncture wound to the neck and was in need of medical assistance.
Wednesday morning a medic from a nearby U.S. Navy vessel, which was in the area at the time, was transferred to the freighter to assess the injured man’s condition and administer triage and medication.
“We are greatly appreciative of the assistance provided by the Navy during this response,” said Chief Petty Officer Jason Burgos, of the Sector Jacksonville Command Center. “It was a tremendous help to us to have experienced medical staff on scene to care for the injured man and pass critical information to us about his condition.”
The sea state made a vessel-to-vessel transfer of the injured man unsafe, so a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah launched Wednesday afternoon to meet the New Pacific about 20 miles east of the St. Johns River entrance, where the man was hoisted and brought to shore.
