Coast Guard Rescues Boater With Chest Pains, Medevacs To Hospital

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Coast Guard rescued a 55-year-old man from a fishing boat 70 miles west of Gasparilla Pass on Wed.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a VHF marine radio call on channel 16 at 11:45 a.m. from the operator of a nearby boat for the 55-foot Lisa Bell vessel stating a man aboard was experiencing chest pains.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew responded to the call and safely transported the man to Tampa General Hospital in stable condition.

"This medevac was a great success," Lt. Cody Harris, the helicopter pilot, said. "The coordinated efforts of the air crew, the Lisa Bell crew, and Sector St. Petersburg enabled all of us to work through the challenges of distance, weather, and medical concerns to ensure the crew member was received by emergency medical services as quick as possible."