A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew safely completed the medevac of a 52-year old Filipino man from the motor vessel Hoegh Transit 250 miles southwest of Sitka about 6 a.m., Jan. 4.
Angelito Pelagio, the 2nd officer aboard the vessel, reportedly suffered a stroke after collapsing on watch and was vomiting and experiencing chest pains 400 miles southwest of Sitka.
Coast Guard personnel were contacted the evening of Jan. 3 by the captain of the 590-ft vessel requesting the medevac of Pelagio. Due to the distance, Coast Guard Air Station Sitka had to wait until the vessel made its way 250 miles off Sitka prior to sending a rescue crew. An MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka was launched at 4:30 a.m. and a Coast Guard C-130 Hercules airplane was launched at 1:34 a.m. from Air Station Kodiak to provide cover.
The Coast Guard safely hoisted Pelagio into the helicopter and transferred him to Air Station Sitka where local emergency medical services were waiting to take him to Sitka Community Hospital.
Pelagio is reported to be in stable condition.