JUNE 16, 2025 — A Ukrainian sailor was rescued by a pararescueman from the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing and transported to a local hospital Tuesday evening after a medical emergency hundreds of miles offshore.
The patient, a 40-year-old sailor aboard the Bahamian cargo ship Aetos, had been ill for several days, prompting the crew to request assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard District 11.
The Aetos was more than 500 nautical miles west of the coast of San Francisco, beyond the immediate response range of Coast Guard assets.
The 129th Rescue Wing coordinated with Coast Guard District 11, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and the 563rd Rescue Group from Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, to monitor the sailor’s condition and develop a rescue plan.
“When everybody comes together, you drop what you’re doing because you understand the reality of the situation,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Nance, the mission’s search and rescue duty officer. “Somebody is in the worst moments of their life that drives us to do this.”
The 129th Rescue Wing is transitioning from HH-60G Pave Hawk to the HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, an upgrade that enhances avionics and provides an improved platform for pararescuemen to deliver in-flight medical care.
“We’re in the middle of conversion, so that immediately creates a huge complexity based on our squadron being in training, requiring us to rely on support from other units,” said Nance.
Using a combined team, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Ventura, a C-27J Spartan from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and a pararescueman from the 129th Rescue Wing’s 131st Rescue Squadron met the Aetos 185 nautical miles off the coast of San Francisco.
The pararescueman stabilized the patient and hoisted him into the helicopter, continuing medical care until an ambulance brought the sailor to Alameda Hospital.
The timing of the hoist was carefully calculated to minimize risk to both the patient and the rescue crew.
“It’s a risk every time,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ken Lok, the search and rescue duty officer during the last portion of the rescue. “Putting people and aircraft in the air is always dangerous.”
The 129th Rescue Wing and Coast Guard District 11 recently renewed their partnership agreement, solidifying their commitment to collaborative search and rescue and homeland security operations.
“This partnership is crucial because each organization has unique capabilities and limitations,” Nance said.
The U.S. Air Force provides critical capabilities, including helicopter refueling, long-range overwater search and rescue and the ability to deploy pararescuemen directly to patients in need.
“This partnership significantly enhances the Coast Guard’s ability to support maritime traffic across the Pacific,” Nance said.
This rescue marked the 129th Rescue Wing’s 1,167th save since its establishment in 1975.
By Senior Airman Serena Smith
129th Rescue Wing