Photo By Cpl. Samantha Sanchez | Three MH-60R Seahawk helicopters attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37...... read more read more
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HONOLULU – A U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter rescued a missing boater in waters 26 miles west of Oahu, March 26, 2021.
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 provided U.S. Coast Guard aircrew and surface vessels search and rescue support after a fishing boat was reported missing late evening of March 25.
“We train a lot to conduct search and rescues, so to get a change in the flight schedule and conduct a live rescue is an exciting opportunity,” said U.S. Navy 1st Lt. Michael Dilenschneider, aircraft commander, HSM-37. “Being able to search and rescue for someone and put our training to use…is a rare opportunity we can be part of thanks to all the training.”
During their overnight search, the naval aircrew located the missing boater clinging to life jackets.
“We were under night vision goggles, looking around and we saw a flash of light from his signal mirror that he happened to have around his neck,” explained Dilenschneider. “We went to go investigate and later after several passes and moving down lower we found out that the light was coming from him.”
Dilenschneider said the most important part of this job was all the preparation and training they do. The drills and training that can seem monotonous serve a purpose, and it’s for critical moments like this where they get to put all that training and preparation into action.
“We conducted the rescue via rescue swimmer starting with a rescue pattern, stabilizing into a hover and deploying the swimmer with the rescue hoist,” described Dilenschneider. “He’s got a quick strap that he uses to hook onto the survivor, then he and the survivor hook up with the rescue hoist and raise back into the helicopter.”
After recovering the fisherman, they transported him to a nearby civilian medical facility for treatment. “I know it seems cliché, but being prepared was a big thing here,” said Dilenschneider. “It allowed us to save a life. We do all this training, so when we actually go and do the job it’s all second nature.”
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| Date Taken: | 04.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.27.2021 21:10 |
| Story ID: | 394635 |
| Location: | KANEOHE BAY, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 436 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Missing Fisherman Rescued by HSM-37 Helicopter Team in Oahu Waters, by Cpl Israel Ballaro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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