OCEAN APPLAUD

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Long range medevac off San Francisco

The US Coast Guard and California Air National Guard completed a four-day, long-range, joint rescue mission to medevac a critically injured 39-year-old man aboard the 'Ocean Applaud' about 1,300 miles west of San Francisco on Aug 28, 2020. The vessel contacted 11th Coast Guard District command center watchstanders on Aug 24 regarding a crewmember who fell 30 feet while working on the vessel. Due to the limited off-shore range of Coast Guard aircraft, California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing offered to assist. Coast Guard watchstanders instructed the vessel to make way toward shore and planned to coordinate response once the vessel was within aircraft range. Upon receiving the mission, the 129th Rescue Wing launched a C-130 aircraft carrying para-rescue jumpers just after 2 p.m. on Aug 26. The crew arrived near the vessel around 7 p.m., and the para-rescue jumpers executed a static-line jump into the water. Once they were aboard the 'Ocean Applaud', they provided emergency medical aid to stabilize the patient. The C-130 returned to base and the para-rescue jumpers remained on the ship to monitor and care for the patient throughout the week. The 129th launched two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters imon the morning of Aug 28 to recover the para-rescue jumpers and the patient, who was transferred to awaiting EMS and taken to Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto in stable condition. the bulk carrier was scheduled to arrive in Stockton on Aug 29.