Moffett Federal Airfield – A team of California Air National Guardsmen from the Bay Area’s 129th Rescue Wing continues their lifesaving mission of an American infant off the coast of Mexico.
On Thursday evening, four pararescuemen from the 129th RQW parachuted to the 36-foot sailing vessel Rebel Heart to provide immediate medical attention to a seriously ill 1-year-old girl. While her condition has stabilized, she still requires medical treatment. The pararescuemen remain with the family and are providing continuous medical care to the infant to make sure she doesn’t relapse.
The vessel’s remote location as well as the infant’s urgent need for medical care necessitated the rescue. The vessel is about 900 nautical miles from Cabo San Lucas and does not have steering or communication abilities.
The USS Vandegrift, a U.S. Navy frigate, is en route to Rebel Heart in order to render assistance. The 129th pararescuemen who saved the child’s life will remain with her until she reaches a medical facility capable of treating her conditions.
The primary mission of the 129th RQW is to perform its wartime mission of personnel recovery anywhere in the world. Equipped with MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, the 129th RQW has performed a wide variety of civilian-personnel recovery missions, including the rescue of distressed persons aboard ships and lost or injured hikers, and disaster response. To date, the 129th RQW is credited with saving the lives of more than 1,000 people.
Due to the location of the Rebel Heart, the Coast Guard requested the assistance of the 129th Rescue Wing and the U.S. Navy on Friday.
