Archive image: U.S. Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Illima Maiava gets hoisted into a MH-65E Dolphin helicopter assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point in Kapolei, Hawaii, September 2, 2025.
Coast Guard rescue swimmers undergo intense training in preparation to conduct search and rescue in even the most dangerous ocean environments.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets.
HONOLULU – A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point MH-65E Dolphin aircrew medevac a mariner (master) from the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Chipol Donghai 57 nautical miles offshore Oahu. Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
At 8:53 p.m. Wednesday, an MH-65E Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point successfully hoisted and transported the man in stable condition to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.
The 44-year-old master had reportedly been experiencing severe chest pains.
Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu (JRCC) watchstanders received an email at around 11 p.m. Sunday from the Chipol Donghai, a 616-foot Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship. The Chipol Donghai was approximately 1,500 nautical miles north of Oahu.
The 616-foot Chipol Donghai was approximately 1,500 miles north of Oahu when the crew notified Coast Guard watchstanders that the vessel’s master was experiencing severe chest pains.
U.S. Coast Guard video.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station. Barbers Point.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu.
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area.
U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District.
Watchstanders established regular communications with the vessel’s crew to monitor the patient’s status as the Chipol Donghai proceeded toward Oahu.
As the man’s condition worsened, JRCC Honolulu watchstanders briefed the duty flight surgeon, who immediately recommended the medical evacuation.
“The vast distances of the Pacific present unique challenges to emergency response, requiring days of sustained communication and coordination,” said Cmdr. Preston Hieb, search and rescue mission coordinator, Coast Guard Oceania District. “The Coast Guard’s priority is the preservation of life at sea, upholding the fundamental international maritime principle of providing assistance to those in peril. Our skilled aircrews are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to protect anyone navigating these waters.”
–USCG–
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