Bulk Carrier Crewmember Medevaced near Puerto Rico

A crewmember suffering from abdominal pain was medevaced from the 653-feet bulk carrier ship Yasa Jupiter Saturday, approximately 60 nautical miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector San Juan received the medevac request from the Marshall Islands flagged ship on Friday night.

The Yasa Jupiter was sailing from Morocco to Panama, approximately 360 nautical miles northeast of Puerto Rico, outside the range of responding rescue helicopters, when the ship reported the incident and requested assistance.

Sector San Juan watchstanders requested the Yasa Jupiter continue making way towards Puerto Rico to shorten the distance for the medevac.

A Coast Guard Air Station MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen launched to meet the Yasa Jupiter at the rendezvous location. Upon arriving on scene, the helicopter crew lowered their rescue swimmer, along with a rescue basket, to hoist the ship crewmember aboard the aircraft.

The Coast Guard helicopter crew safely hoisted the patient onboard with the assistance of the ship’s crew and transported the patient to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan. Emergency Medical Service personnel received and transported the crewmember to the “Centro Médico” Hospital to receive the required medical care.

“This case was an excellent representation of superior communication from the cargo ship Yasa Jupiter, the Sector San Juan Command Center and Air Station watchstanders,” said Lt. Adam Morehouse, MH-65 Air Station Borinquen aircraft commander for the case. “Sector San Juan coordinated an exact position and time to be on scene, while the flight crew worked to establish the best flight path and hoist sequence, allowing us to quickly recover and bring this crewmember ashore to get the medical care he required.”