Coast Guard rescue crews on Aug. 25 medically evacuated a 23-year-old sailor from the destroyer James E. Williams, then which was 220 miles off the New England coast.
The team launched aboard a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod at 9:45 p.m., according to a Coast Guard news release. An HC-144 fixed-wing airplane provided air support. The Jayhawk landed aboard James E. Williams at approximately 11:15 p.m., refueled and recovered the patient along with a Navy escort. The sailor, who was not identified, was transferred to awaiting EMS and admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital.
Officials at Fleet Forces Command did not provide additional details about the sailor or his status by press time Aug. 28.According to officials at Surflant, the sailor is in stable condition, but will not give his name or any details due to privacy.
"These are the kinds of situations the Coast Guard trains for," Lt. Greg Kotowitz, co-pilot on the MH-60 Jayhawk, said in the release. "Our interagency response, coupled with the quick action of the James E. Williams crew, ensured the safety of their crewmember."
A happy ending has been a rarity as of late for the Norfolk-based destroyer. In July, Cmdr. Chad Fella became the fourth leader to be canned in the past year. Fella failed to earn the seal of approval from his chain of command to fleet up to CO.
The ship's entire triad — the CO, XO and command master chief — was taken to mast in October after an investigation into the death of Boatswain's Mate Seaman Yeshabel Villot-Carrasco, who committed suicide on the Williams last June while on deployment.
Officials declined to provide details about why Fella's fleet-up to CO was rescinded, citing privacy concerns. But they stressed that the relief was unrelated to the ship's command climate at the time of the suicide on deployment.
