The US Coast Guard took a sick man off the container ship Ever Elite on Saturday, 31 October 2026. The man is 53 years old. A Coast Guard helicopter lifted him from the ship 34 miles off San Francisco, California. The Coast Guard reported the rescue on 2 November.
The Coast Guard did not give the man's name, nationality or job on the ship. It said he had a medical emergency. It did not say what the illness was.
How the rescue went
At 10:56 local time, the Coast Guard in San Francisco got a call about the sick man. The ship was then about 225 miles from the coast. That is too far for a quick helicopter flight.
The ship sailed closer to the coast. The Coast Guard sent an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station San Francisco. It also sent a C-27 Spartan plane from Air Station Sacramento. The plane watched over the scene and helped to coordinate the rescue.
The first Coast Guard report said it also used AMVER, a system that finds merchant ships nearby. The Coast Guard later corrected its report. It now says AMVER was not used in this case.
The helicopter reached the ship at 22:08 local time, about 11 hours after the first call. Its crew lifted the man up with a hoist. They flew him to Air Station San Francisco. An ambulance then took him to the Sutter Health Mills-Peninsula Medical Center for more care.
"When a mariner experiences a medical emergency far from shore, particularly during nighttime operations, timely and precise coordination is essential." Lt. Cmdr. Eddie Kalankiewicz, search and rescue mission coordinator, US Coast Guard Sector San Francisco
What to do now: a medical emergency far from land
This case shows a common problem. A ship far out at sea is often out of helicopter range. Help can take many hours. These steps can help a sick crew member during that time.
Ask for medical advice early. Do not wait until the person is very ill. The master can call the coast guard or a radio medical service (TMAS, Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service) at any time.
Write down the facts before you call: age, symptoms, when they started, pulse, breathing, temperature, blood pressure and any medicines taken. Doctors ashore need this to decide on an evacuation.
Ask the rescue centre if the ship should change course towards land or a meeting point. Every hour closer saves time for the helicopter.
Prepare the deck for a hoist. Clear a safe area, tie down loose items and lower or secure aerials if asked. Follow the helicopter crew's instructions by radio.
Do not touch the hoist hook or cable until it has touched the deck or the sea. It can carry a strong static electric shock.
Pack the patient's passport, seaman's book, medicines and a short medical note. Give them to the helicopter crew with the patient.
Tell the company, so it can contact the family and the local agent ashore.
Read our report on a crew member with heart problems taken off a cruise ship near Trieste. We also reported on an injured seafarer brought ashore from the Spirit of Tokyo off Sri Lanka. For emergency, medical and welfare contacts, see Crewboard's useful links for seafarers.
Cover photo: A US Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrives to pick up an injured merchant seaman in the Pacific Ocean, December 2008. The photo is illustrative and does not show this rescue. Photo: Colby Neal, US Navy, public domain.
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