MARCH 27, 2026 — A Coast Guard helicopter aircrew medevacked a passenger experiencing a medical emergency aboard the dive yacht Turks and Caicos Explorer II, approximately 200 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Rico, Wednesday afternoon.
Medevacked is a 66-year-old woman, who was safely transported to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a medevac request from the dive yacht Turks and Caicos Explorer II reporting one of their passengers had aspirated water while snorkeling and that her condition was deteriorating.
After evaluation, it was determined that the patient required a higher level of care. Watchstanders directed the launch of an Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter to conduct the medical evacuation of the passenger.
Once on scene, the air crew deployed their rescue swimmer who assessed the patient’s condition and used a rescue basket to safely hoist and bring the passenger safely aboard the aircraft.
“Excellent teamwork and technical expertise aboard the aircraft enabled us to execute a seamless hoist of the patient,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Judson Swift, Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen Aviation Survival Technician for the case. “We are grateful for the coordination between Sector San Juan, communications command, the vessel master and the Centro Medico Hospital that allowed us to safely transport the patient to a higher level of care.”
Our U.S. Coast Guard Puerto Rico crews stands ready to save lives, protect America’s waterways, and support safe maritime activity.
For the latest information on the grounding and response efforts, follow Sector San Juan.
More information about the U.S. Coast Guard can be found at www.uscg.mil. Follow us on X and Instagram, like us on Facebook.