A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew medevaced a man 33 miles offshore from Fort DeSoto, Florida, Oct. 13, 2019. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— A Coast Guard crew medevaced a man 33 miles offshore from Fort DeSoto, Florida, Sunday morning.
A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg 45-foot Response Boat—Medium boatcrew transported the man experiencing abdominal pain and weakness to Tierra Verde Marina in Tierra Verde, Florida.
Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a mayday call on channel 16 at approximately 6:38 a.m., followed by a report from a good Samaritan who saw three flares and made contact with the 27- foot fishing vessel owner.
The Coast Guard boatcrew transferred the man to St. Petersburg EMS in stable condition for further medical assistance.
“The guy was experiencing a lot of pain and weakness, and they set off a flare that the good Sam saw to help us find them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Rachael Fultz, the Station St. Petersburg station EMT. “We put him in a stokes litter to transport him to our boat and to EMS onshore.”
