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USCG helicopter crew airlifts ailing crewman from Maersk ship offshore Alaska

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has made a daring medical evacuation to safely remove an ailing crewman from the 2010-built Maersk Eindhoven some 200 miles off Alaska.

When the 53-year-old crewman suffered cardiac problems, the 366-metre ship was 600 miles from the Alaskan shore and its captain was advised to steer towards Cold Bay, Alaska, to facilitate an airlift.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak forward deployed to Cold Bay and flew out to the ship when it was about 200 miles offshore.

After airlifting the man in conditions of 25 mph winds and 10-foot waves, the USCG crew managed to safely transport home to Cold Bay and from there a LifeMed air ambulance took him to Anchorage for further medical attention.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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