A U.S. Air Force pararescue team flew 11 hours and jumped into the Pacific Ocean to aid injured Chinese sailors found off the coast of Mexico after their fishing vessel sank, according to a Davis-Monthan Air Force Base release on Sunday.
The two critically injured sailors were picked up by a Venezuelan fishing boat about 1,100 nautical miles off the coast of Mexico. The sailors were suffering from bad burns and the Venezuelan vessel called for assistance May 2, starting the emergency medical response at sea.
After the flight from Davis-Monthan in Arizona, airmen jumped from HC-130J aircraft with two inflatable zodiac boats to reach the ship Saturday and provide lifesaving medical treatment.
Three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were also sent in the rescue and they will be used to hoist the injured sailors and rescue team from the ship for transport. Via an airport in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the injured will then be taken to the La Jolla Burn Facility in California.
The distance of the water rescue required aerial refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker, adding to the complexity of the mission, said Maj. Scott Rein with the 563rd Rescue Group, in a release.
'Everyone has complicated tasks in this mission, from the Guardian Angels treating injured sailors with equipment they had to parachute in with, to aviators who are flying very long missions and support personnel who are executing their roles at a remote airfield in Mexico,' said Rein. 'Everyone is rising to the occasion.'
It is unclear what happened to the fishing vessel the Chinese sailors were on and if there were others injured.
Posted by Unknown on Sunday, May 4, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
0 comments "US pararescue team aids Chinese sailors in Pacific"
Post a Comment