The United States Coast Guard scrambled one of its HA 65 helicopters from Barber’s Point, O‘ahu, yesterday morning to a fishing vessel 70 miles off Kaua‘i’s North Shore. “One of the (crewmembers) cut his finger down to the bone on
The United States Coast Guard scrambled one of its HA 65 helicopters from Barber’s Point, O‘ahu, yesterday morning to a fishing vessel 70 miles off Kaua‘i’s North Shore.
“One of the (crewmembers) cut his finger down to the bone on a chock,” said Petty Officer Third Class Angela Henderson, via phone from O‘ahu. A chock is a piece of equipment that allows taut lines to be controlled.
The Isabella T, measuring 60 feet, was 200 miles from Kaua‘i when the Coast Guard first got the call at 5:29 a.m. “For a ‘helo’ from the air station to pick up a patient, they have to be within 100 miles,” Henderson said.
The Isabella T then steered a course for Kaua‘i, meeting the chopper at 6:44 a.m. after covering 130 miles. The HA 65, manned by four people — a rescue swimmer, mechanic and two pilots — plucked the injured fisherman from the deck of the vessel without incident.
The Coast Guard flew the crewmember to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, delivering him there just after 8 a.m.
Though the rescue operation was not life threatening, said Henderson, the injury was serious enough to warrant the evacuation. “At first they couldn’t stop the bleeding,” said the petty officer. “Then they called the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard recommended they elevate it and apply pressure.”
That treatment bought enough time to get the patient to Wilcox hospital.
Henderson said the Isabella T traveled the rest of the way to Kaua‘i after its crewmember was evacuated.
Wilcox spokesperson Lani Yukimura confirmed that a person was treated and released at the hospital.
