On September 20, 2026, the United States Coast Guard arranged a long-distance rescue operation for a sick sailor in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This sailor needed immediate treatment due to a severe and non-transportable infection.
Incident Details
The container ship "Kotka," built in 1996, was on a long journey from Colombo, Sri Lanka to New York. On Wednesday night, the ship's captain contacted the Coast Guard and reported that one of the sailors had developed a severe and non-transportable infection that had not improved with the medical treatments available on board.
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At that time, the ship was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 1,300 nautical miles from shore, which was beyond the range of the medical rescue capabilities available in the United States. The San Juan Coast Guard station took responsibility for the case and ordered the ship to change course toward St. Martin.
Rescue Operation
Kotka changed its course to the west and proceeded at a speed of 17 knots. On Friday, as the ship approached St. Martin, the Borinquen Air Station sent a Jayhawk helicopter to the area, and the Miami Air Station also dispatched an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to provide communications.
On Saturday, the helicopter crew met the ship approximately 100 nautical miles east of St. Martin. The ship's crew used a stretcher to transfer the patient to the deck and placed him in a basket for hoisting. The helicopter crew safely transferred him into the helicopter and flew to San Juan for specialized treatment at a hospital.
Captain Robert E. Styles, the Coast Guard's search and rescue operations coordinator, said: "Our team was at its best during the execution of this complex multi-day rescue. We commend our aircrew for arriving on scene in a timely manner to rescue the crew member and transport him to a medical facility on shore. We hope he makes a full recovery."
The "Kotka" resumed its commercial journey toward New York after the rescue operation, and tracking data indicates that it is on the move.
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