The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a helicopter crash that injured 4 servicemembers throughout a rescue close to Petersburg, Alaska. 

On Monday evening, watchstanders at Coast Guard seventeenth District acquired a misery name from the crab boat Lydia Marie. The vessel’s crew had reported flooding at 2000 hours at a place off Read Island, and so they have been within the strategy of being rescued by a Jayhawk helicopter aircrew. In an  replace at 2300, they known as to report that the plane had gone down on the island.  

Rescue crews from the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Petersburg Fire and Rescue have been the primary responders on scene, arriving at about 0050 hours Tuesday morning. Another Jayhawk aircrew out of Air Station Sitka arrived to help at 0140, and collectively they supplied medical care to the 4 aircrew members. 

The second helicopter flew the survivors to Petersburg for greater medical care. On arrival, they have been evaluated and transferred aboard a C-130 Hercules plane for onward transport to Seattle, the place they’d profit from superior medical assets. Seattle has the one Level I trauma heart in all of Washington, Alaska and Idaho. 

Two of the evacuees are reported to be in critical situation at Harborview Medical Center. The different two survivors had solely minor accidents. 

A buoy tender, USCGC Elderberry, and the quick response cutter USCGC Douglas Denman completed the rescue response for the Lydia Marie. A safety perimeter has been established on the crash website because the response continues. 

“Our priority is to provide the highest level of care possible for our injured members and their families,” mentioned Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s seventeenth District. “We are grateful for the swift response {and professional} talent proven by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Petersburg Fire and Rescue members who answered our name for help throughout this vital time.”

The Coast Guard has opened an investigation into the reason for the casualty. At the time of the crash, wind speeds have been within the vary of 30 knots and seas have been about 4-5 ft, in keeping with the Lydia Marie’s crew. The second helicopter aircrew reported that once they arrived three hours later, visibility was about one quarter of a mile and wind speeds have been within the vary of 40 knots.