
SANTA RITA, Guam — In a display of interagency cooperation, the Coast Guard and a Navy MH-60S Knighthawk aircrew medevac a commercial mariner 100 nautical miles offshore Guam on March 2, 2024.
«Our collective efforts today, closely following another recent rescue, underscore our enduring commitment to mariner safety. The partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard, HSC-25, and local agencies like Guam Fire Rescue is pivotal in ensuring the well-being of those at sea,» said Cmdr. Ryan Crose, the case’s search and rescue mission coordinator at U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam. «Search and rescue is a priority mission for us, covering an expansive Search and Rescue Region of 1.9 million square miles. The only way to effectively cover such a vast area is through robust partnerships.»
Responders initiated the operation after a 26-year-old Filipino mariner aboard the 850-foot Liberian-flagged container ship Carmell 1, initially located 400 nautical miles northwest of Guam, exhibited severe abdominal issues. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Sub-Center in Guam was alerted on the afternoon of March 1 while the ship was en route to Vietnam. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 mobilized to assist following a recommendation for medical evacuation from the U.S. Coast Guard’s duty flight surgeon in Alameda, California, and concurrence from HSC-25’s flight surgeon in Guam.
An MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter crew from HSC-25 reached the Carmell 1 on the morning of March 2. The mariner was then airlifted from the ship in 17 mph winds and 10-foot seas and delivered to the capable hands of emergency medical responders from Guam Fire Rescue at Naval Hospital Guam. They further transported him to Guam Memorial Hospital, where he was in stable condition.

U.S. Navy photo.
«The frequency of these medical evacuations and search and rescue missions reiterates the unique capability and readiness of HSC-25. We are the sole maritime hoist-capable emergency aviation resource in this area, and our team’s proficiency and commitment were once again proven today. It’s our honor to serve the people of Guam and ensure the safety of mariners in these waters,» said Cmdr. Neil Toohey, commanding officer of HSC-25.
The successful medevac follows closely after a similar rescue operation on Feb. 9, where responders ensured a 37-year-old Filipino mariner aboard the 1,202-foot German-flagged cargo vessel Antwerpen Express safely reached a higher level of medical care after exhibiting symptoms indicative of a stroke.
–USCG–
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