Navy's new stealth destroyer rescued a fisherman, who was experiencing a medical emergency while aboard a fishing vessel in Portland, Maine. Luckily, the $4.3 billion USS Zumwalt was in the midst of sea trials Saturday morning.
Dale Sparrow, the captain of the fishing vessel called Danny Boy, had chest pains at around 3 a.m. His staff immediately called the Coast Guard, asking for medical assistance.
The Coast Guard sent its MH-60 Jayhawk from Air Station Cape Cod to fly 40 nautical miles southeast of Maine, where Danny Boy was located. However, when the crew got to the scene, they deemed it too hazardous to perform an air rescue mission because of Danny Boy's deck configuration.
Because the first attempt of rescue was impossible, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England broadcasted the incident to nearby vessels, asking for help.
Zumwalt heeded the call and sent a small boat to retrieve Sparrow. The captain was then transferred to the 600-foot, 15,000-ton stealth destroyer.
After immediate medical aid, the Coast Guard flew Sparrow to Portland Jetport, where Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew awaited. The said crew transported Sparrow to Maine Medical Center for additional, necessary medical care.
"Our main concern with this type of medical emergency is to recover the patient safely and transport them to a higher level care as quickly as possible," said Lt. David Bourbeau, public affairs officer from Sector Northern New England.
Zumwalt was launched by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and is now the newest and largest addition to the Navy. Upon hearing the rescue news, the service shipyard company expressed words of praise for the crew of Zumwalt.
"General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is incredibly proud of the work its men and women did alongside the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard to rescue a fisherman in distress," said spokesperson Matt Wickenheiser. He added that the interventions of the staff reflected that of their company's highest values.
The Zumwalt first started its sea trials on Dec. 7 and is led by its captain, Commander James A. Kirk.
Photo: Paul VanDerWerf | Flickr
