Woman Medevaced from Matson Ship Off Washington

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a woman from a U.S.-flagged Matson ship after she was having difficulty breathing and temporarily lost consciousness off Washington’s coast on Saturday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound command center received a call at 11:30 a.m. from the ships health insurance provider stating a 65-year-old woman aboard the vessel needed medical attention.

At the time, the 710-foot container ship, Matson Kodiak, was transiting westbound in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The command center diverted an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles who was already airborne near Seattle.

At 1 p.m., the rescue crew arrived on scene, deployed the rescue swimmer, and safely hoisted the woman.

The aircrew then proceeded en route to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where she was later transferred to higher medical care.

The patient’s current medical condition is unknown.