Royal Canadian Air Force crews carried out a challenging mission Saturday when they evacuated an injured crew member from a cargo ship 370 kilometres southwest of Sandspit on Haida Gwaii.
“The weather was calm on scene with light winds and half-metre swells but the distance offshore made the mission a challenge,” said Capt. Pete Wright, pilot of the Cormorant helicopter which is based at 442 Squadron in Comox.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre got a call at 11:30 a.m. that a Filipino crewman aboard a 600-foot bulk carrier had fallen down steep stairs and had severe injuries to his lower body.
The Cormorant was dispatched shortly after and reached the ship at 9:30 p.m. Two SAR technicians were lowered to the deck and the patient was hoisted up to the helicopter.
The victim was flown to Sandspit and then transferred to a Buffalo fixed-wing aircraft for a flight to Victoria, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
The Victoria Search and Rescue Region extends 600 nautical miles offshore into the Pacific Ocean.
