The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a boy after his vessel ran aground in Deering, approximately 60 miles southwest of Kotzebue, Monday evening.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew arrived on scene and landed near the vessel at 9:40 p.m., boarded the 15-year-old boy, and transported him to awaiting EMS in Kotzebue, according to a press release.
Watchstanders from 17th Coast Guard District received the initial report at 7:41 p.m. from North Slope Borough Search and Rescue requesting assistance for a satellite personal tracker alert message for a person in distress who suffered injuries to his hand 60 miles southwest of Kotzebue. It is unknown the severity of the boy’s injuries.
The Coast Guard aircrew from Forward Operating Location Kotzebue were able to locate the vessel at 9:19 p.m. that evening, followed the vessel to shore, landed and transported the boy to Kotzebue to awaiting EMS.
Lt. Lindsay Wheeler, 17th District command duty officer:
“We are grateful that we were able to locate the patient in a timely manner and land safely to medevac him. The close coordination between our command center staff, the Air Station Kodiak aircrew and North Slope Borough Search and Rescue personnel ensured this mariner was able to obtain a higher level of medical treatment.”
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
