SAN JUAN — Coast Guard air and surface units combined efforts to medevac an injured cadet from the Mexican Navy training vessel ARM Cuauhtémoc Wednesday morning, approximately 36 nautical miles southwest of Rincón, Puerto Rico.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan received a communication from the ARM Cuauhtémoc at 11:27 p.m. Tuesday, requesting a medevac for a 21-year-old cadet who required a higher level of care ashore.
“I am tremendously proud of the crew’s performance in executing two complex nighttime transfers of the patient between multiple vessels, followed by multiple well-executed rescue hoists to the helicopter,” said Lt. Charles Chavtur, Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley commanding officer. “Thanks to an exceptional level of professionalism, coordination, and cooperation between aboard ARM Cuauhtémoc, Sector San Juan, Air Station Borinquen, and the cutter I am glad to hear this patient was able to reach the advanced level of medical care that he needed.”
Coast Guard watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley to conduct the medevac. Once on-scene, the cutter Donald Horsley crew embarked the cadet and the ship’s doctor from the ARM Cuauhtémoc and prepared to conduct a hoist operation with the Coast Guard helicopter. Once positioned over the cutter, the Coast Guard helicopter crew lowered the aircraft rescue swimmer to assess the cadet’s condition and prepare the hoist. The Coast Guard aircrew used the aircraft rescue litter to hoist the patient and a rescue basket to hoist the doctor onboard the aircraft.
The Coast Guard aircrew transported the cadet and the ship’s doctor to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel received and completed their transport to the “Centro Médico” Hospital in San Juan.