A 30-year-old man with serious injuries on a commercial fishing boat was rescued 600 miles off the coast and transported by helicopter to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose on Tuesday, California National Guard officials said.
Early Tuesday morning two helicopter crews, a combat shadow aircraft and a four-man pararescue team rescued the man on a fishing vessel called the Gutsy Lady 4.
The man, who was 1,100 miles west of the Bay Area when his injuries were reported on Sunday, didn't arrive at the hospital until Tuesday evening, California National Guard Capt. Roderick Bersamina said.
On Sunday, a combat shadow crew dropped a medication bundle to the fishing boat.
"The 129th Rescue Wing saves lives by air, land and sea when others do not have the capabilities to respond. Whether at home or abroad, our citizen-airmen are always ready to execute," California National Guard Col. Taft Aujero said in a statement.
The 129th Rescue Wing crew that saved the man responds to emergencies in deserts, mountaintops and rural and urban settings, rescuing lost or injured hikers or isolated people on ships.
The crew also conducts combat search and rescue missions and has saved more than 1,000 people, Bersamina said.
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"This was a high-risk mission today, mainly based off of the overall distance," California National Guard Major Nate Nowaski said in a statement Tuesday.
"Commanders weigh that risk based off the patient's overall medical status and urgency and we do our best to mitigate any additional risks to the patient, the fishing vessel crew and our own rescue crews," Nowaski said.
