Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: May. 17, 2008

Contact:  LT John Egan
(504) 912-9339

COAST GUARD MEDEVACS MAN FROM SHRIMPING VESSEL

NEW ORLEANS - A Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans HH-65C rescue helicopter crew medevaced a 36-year-old man with a severed arm from a 65-foot shrimp boat in Barataria Bay at 10:45 p.m. last night. 

At approximately 10:10 p.m. yesterday, May 16, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call from a crewmember aboard a shrimp boat in Barataria Bay that a man, of Lafourche, La., had severed his left arm. Sector New Orleans immediately launched an HH-65C rescue helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans to respond. 

The Coast Guard rescue aircrew arrived onscene and hoisted the victim into the helicopter. The shrimp boat crew's emergency first aid and the Coast Guard's rescue swimmer/EMT stabilized the victim to minimize blood loss. 

The Coast Guard flew the man to Tulane/University Hospital where he was delivered in stable condition. As a result of the quick response, less than one hour had elapsed from the time the Coast Guard received the initial distress call to the time the injured victim was safely delivered to the hospital.

***Media Note: There is no video of this rescue.*** 

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U.S. Coast Guard - Saving lives since 1790