ALAMEDA, Calif. - A Coast Guard aircrew rescued a boater injured on his vessel approximately 35 miles southwest of Monterey, California, Tuesday night.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector San Francisco command center received notification from the operator of the 42-foot sailing vessel Solar Wind that he had fallen and sustained a blow to the head, but did not request to be medically evacuated. Coast Guard watchstanders advised the operator to divert from his transit to San Diego and to return to Monterey.
Radio communications with the operator were later lost prompting the launch of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin aircrew from Air Station San Francisco and a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Monterey.
Once on scene, the aircrew lowered their rescue swimmer who determined the operator's condition had deteriorated. Due to high seas and strong winds, hoisting directly from the boat was impossible. The rescue swimmer took the patient into the water to safely hoist to the helicopter.
The patient was taken to Monterey Regional Airport and transferred to awaiting emergency medical services who reported him in stable condition.
The one remaining person aboard the sailing vessel was unable to safely operate it by himself and is currently being towed back to Monterey by the Motor Lifeboat crew.