19WNR: 11/032 October 27, 2011
442 Squadron evacuates sick passenger from vessel
19 WING COMOX, B.C.— A CH-149 Cormorant helicopter crew from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron evacuated a sick passenger from a 90-foot landing craft, docked in Loughborough Inlet, early Thursday morning.
Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria received a call from Comox Coast Guard Radio shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, requesting evacuation of a passenger aboard a landing craft who was suffering abdominal pains. A helicopter from 442 Squadron, 19 Wing Comox, was dispatched and set down at a logging camp near the docked craft shortly after midnight.
“Carrying the patient off the vessel and across the muddy landing was the most difficult part of the operation,” said Sergeant Glen Hood, Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech). Once ashore, SAR Techs carried the patient back to the waiting helicopter for the flight to Comox.
“We faced deteriorating weather on the flight out of the inlet,” said Aircraft Commander, Captain Wayne Atwood. “Once we climbed above the fog and clouds though, it was a clear flight back.”
Upon arrival at 19 Wing Comox at 2:00 a.m., the patient was transferred into the care of the B.C. Ambulance Service in stable condition. The patient’s current medical status is unknown at this time.
The Canadian Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard, working within the national search and rescue (SAR) program, are committed to providing the quickest and best response to a SAR event using all available assets.
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Cormorant crew: Captain Wayne Atwood, Aircraft Commander; Captain Peter Wright, First Officer; Master Corporal Ron Cyr and Corporal William Kerby, Flight Engineers; Sergeants Glen Hood, Robin Richardson, Master Corporal George Beatteay, Search and Rescue Technicians.
Note to editors: For further information please contact the 19 Wing Public Affairs Officer, Lieutenant Trevor Reid pager (250) 703-7035 or phone (250) 339-8201, or trevor.reid2@forces.gc.ca.
There are no DND photos of this mission.
