What began as a routine training exercise quickly evolved into a real-world search and rescue mission for the Delaware Army National Guard’s (DEARNG) 126th Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) unit and its interagency partners. For nearly a year, the 126th MEDEVAC has conducted monthly training alongside the Delaware Air Rescue Team (DART), strengthening coordination and response capabilities across forces. During a scheduled water hoist training event on April 9, 2026, along the Delaware River, DART received an alert of a man overboard in the Delaware Bay. At the time of the alert, the DEARNG flight crew was refueling. After receiving approval to launch, the crew rapidly mobilized with a DART rescue swimmer already onboard and hoist extraction equipment in place due to the ongoing training. “Once we got approval to launch, nothing changed as far as our operations,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Alejandro Zambrano, a flight medic and crew member aboard the helicopter with the 126th MEDEVAC. “Our training with the DART guys over the past year has created a solid joint mission-ready team that is prepared to respond to these kinds of incidents.” The crew established communication with the command element and received grid coordinates for the boater’s last known location before joining a coordinated multi-agency search effort. “To us, this was a continuation of the water rescue training we had executed that morning, which involved the same rescue devices and techniques required for the man-overboard search,” Zambrano said. He added through the monthly trainings with DART, the team developed a strong working relationship that prepared them for emergency responses. “Everyone on the aircraft had significant trust in the abilities of the team and had a solid understanding and expertise of our roles and responsibilities, ensuring safety and excellence in performing our duties as a search and rescue asset.” In addition to DART, the DEARNG worked alongside the U.S. Coast Guard out of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Delaware State Police (DSP) Aviation units Trooper 2 and Trooper 4, and local maritime support teams to conduct an extensive search of the bay. Zambrano said working alongside the other agencies was seamless, noting the aircraft quickly established search sectors upon arrival, reinforcing the Delaware National Guard’s focus on safety. For approximately an hour and a half, crews searched the area before DEARNG personnel were released as rescue efforts were scaled down. The mission marked a significant milestone in the partnership between the 126th MEDEVAC and DART, representing the first real-world search and rescue operation where both teams operated together using integrated equipment and procedures developed during their year-long collaboration. “This mission speaks volumes about the readiness of the 126th MEDEVAC,” Zambrano said. “Our extensive training schedule shines when we are tasked to perform our very unique mission, and this was no different. We are not only ready to deploy and serve our country, but also ready and eager to serve our community in situations like these.” The training itself spanned April 9-10 and focused on advanced water rescue techniques, including hoisting onto a moving vessel, rescue swimmer insertion and extraction, and the use of multiple extraction devices. Participating agencies included DEARNG, DART, Wilmington Fire Department, Goodwill Fire Department, and Wilmington Police Department. The DEARNG flight crew for the mission included Zambrano, flight medic; Sgt. 1st Class Andy Josefyk, hoist operator; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Justin Wample and Capt. Grant Stewart, pilots; alongside DART rescue swimmer Jeff Lindell. DSP later identified the missing boater as 47-year-old Matthrew Oliver of Millville, New Jersey. Oliver reportedly went missing from the 50-foot oyster boat F/V Bon Secour on April 9 while the vessel was returning to a marina in Money Island, New Jersey. Authorities recovered Oliver’s body approximately a mile offshore Bowers Beach, Del. On April 21, following an extensive multi-agency search effort. Through continued training and real-world response integration, the flight crew, remainder of 126th MEDEVAC and its partner agencies remain prepared to respond when called, ensuring the safety and security of communities across the state and surrounding region.