U.S. Coast Guard help in team effort to rescue Canadian fisherman

A team effort was made to save a 19-year-old Canadian fisherman by the U.S. Coast Guard and crew members on the boat after badly cutting his leg at sea.

The Coast Guard Lieutenant, Skylar Swenson noted that the crew should be recognized for their first aid skills. He mentioned how well they took care of the crew member until the Coast Guard could show up and airlift him from the boat.

Lieutenant Swenson told CTV News, “(They) took really good care of their crew member, they stabilized the bleeding,” he also said, “The fishing vessel (crew) saved the life of their own crew member.”

The man received a serious cut that was six inches deep into his leg. The cut had hit an artery and the man had to be airlifted to a Washington hospital by the Coast Guard.

According to Swenson the man was doing well before landing. They loaded him into an ambulance in stable condition after touching down.

The Coast Guard said that the boat was west of Neah Bay by about 80 kilometres at the time of the injury.

The agency said, “Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound in Seattle received the medevac request from the captain of the 110-foot fishing vessel Ocean Pearl at about 1 p.m.”

The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter showed up just over an hour later at 2:14 p.m. The boat was up against waves up to ten feet while the Coast Guard pulled the man up into the helicopter with a basket.

The incident was caught on video and shows the man being brought up to the helicopter as the boat continues sailing. He gives a wave and thumbs up when he eventually gets to the helicopter.

Swenson noted, “That’s the best thing, to go home and know we saved a young man’s life and to see the smile on his face.”