NEW YORK – Coast Guard rescue crews medically evacuated a man from a fishing vessel 2 miles offshore Monmouth Beach, N.J., this morning.
Coast Guard Sector New York command center watchstanders received notification from a crewmember aboard the 55-foot fishing vessel, Miss Brielle, that the master of the vessel, a 44 year-old-man experienced symptoms of a heart attack while fishing. The man had a medical history of heart problems and was in and out of consciousness.
A rescue boat crew, from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook, N.J., was immediately dispatched to the scene of the incident and a rescue helicopter crew, from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J, was called to perform the medevac. The boat crew arrived on scene with an emergency medical technician who immediately worked to stabilize the man while also attempting to stabilize the vessel. The crewmember onboard did not know how to operate the vessel.
“This was a serious incident where stabilizing the situation was made more difficult by the sea state and weather conditions,” said Lt.j.g. Fannie Wilks, command duty officer at Sector New York. “The Coast Guard utilized all resources to provide assistance to the fisherman.”
The rescue helicopter crew arrived on scene shortly after and safely evacuated the man from the fishing vessel. The man was taken to Jersey Shore University Hospital where he is reported to be in stable condition.
The rescue boat crew towed the fishing vessel to Sandy Hook Bay, N.J.
