“The offshore environment always tries to throw surprises – especially with the fog bank not predicted to be to the surface,” said Lt. Kristin Euchler, the MH-65 Dolphin co-pilot for this rescue. “Luckily with all the prior coordination, we were able to shoot the approach through the clouds with a solid radar hit of the large vessel.”
ATB medevac
The day before, a Coast Guard aircrew out of Sector Columbia River medevaced a crewmember from the ATB tanker Commitment off the coast of Grays Harbor, Washington,
At about 1400 hours on Thursday, the sector received a VHF call reporting that one of the ATB’s crewmembers had been cut on the face and the eye while working in engine room. Watchstanders dispatched a Jayhawk aircrew about 45 minutes later, and the helicopter arrived on scene at about 1530 hours. The aircrew transported the victim back to shore, and he was was transferred to a hospital in Astoria for treatment.