Two Mazatlan fishermen rescued by US Coast Guard

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The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of two injured fishermen from Mazatlan Sinaloa, 1,300 miles southwest of San Diego in international waters, according to the Coast Guard. 

The Mexican fishermen were hurt when the crane on their vessel, Mazatun, collapsed while recovering fishing nets. The incident was reported around 8 p.m. Tuesday to the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Alameda 

During the incident, fishing nets obstructed the Mazatun’s propellers so it was unable to travel on its own. The fishermen were transferred to Mazatun’s sister ship, Tamara, which started traveling toward the nearest land, a Mexican naval outpost on Socorro Island. 

Because Socorro Island was 700 miles away, which is two days of travel by boat, and crews did not have the ability to treat life-threatening head and leg injuries, pararescue medical assistance was requested. 

Eight pararescuers and an Air Force flight surgeon parachuted from an aircraft Wednesday and landed on the Tamara. The medical team stabilized the injuries of the fishermen until the boat reached Socorro’s harbor Friday evening. 

The two men were flown to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, for further medical care on Saturday July 13th. 

In 2018, RCC Alameda managed over 1,900 search-and-rescue cases. 

Source: https://www.sfgate.com