LOS ANGELES – The Coast Guard medevaced a 67-year-old male experiencing chest pains from a fishing vessel off San Nicholas Island, Calif., around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles was launched to medevac the man.
The man was taken to Los Angeles International Airport, where he was transferred to emergency medical services.
Although this call was received over the VHF-FM radio from the vessel, the Coast Guard reminds all boaters that cell phones tend to have gaps in coverage while on the water, plus limited battery life and most are not designed for the maritime environment. Many VHF-FM marine radios are now water resistant and some are even waterproof. While boaters may feel safe with just a cell phone onboard, the Coast Guard strongly recommends a marine-band radio set to channel 16 to allow boaters to quickly contact the Coast Guard for any distress situations.
