HOME Rescue at sea
The following are pictures taken by an angler on board a boat fishing about 50 miles out of Los Angeles. On the boat was a woman who was about three months pregnant, and she became seriously ill when the sea turned rough.The Coast Guard had to be called to rescue her. These pictures show the helicopter approaching the moving boat, letting down a person and then a gurney (stretcher) and pulling the woman up.
The chopper came from San Diego, about 75 miles south of the boat's location, and got to it about 25 minutes after the rescue call was placed. It asked the boat to keep moving east at a steady pace as it approached. The boat kept moving the whole time the rescue effort was underway. In the background is San Clemente Island - an uninhabited island, except for some US Navy instrumentation.
First the Coast Guard person came down. He did not request any assistance, but landed on the deck after one or two attempts, and unhooked himself even more quickly, as the helicopter hovered about 15-20 feet above us. Crew members from the boat moved in only after he had landed on the deck. Then the helicopter let down the gurney (stretcher). Click on the images.
 The sea. |
 The Coast Guard helicopter approaches. |
 Letting down rescue personnel. |
 Grace is helped out from her bunk. |
 Grace on the gurney as her husband (or boyfriend) watches. He was told to stay away during this phase of the operation. |
 Grace is sent up to the helicopter. It was reported a few days later that she was doing okay. |