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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard medevaced one ailing crewman from a tanker vessel approximately 50 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, Friday.
Coast Guard Eighth District command center watchstanders received a call at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday from the crew of the crude oil tanker Gem No. 5 stating a 28-year-old crewman had been ill for five days. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended the tanker crew continue transiting ashore and continuously reassess the man’s condition.
At 8:40 a.m. Friday, the Gem No. 5 crew contacted Coast Guard watchstanders and reported the crewman’s condition had not improved. The duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi launched to assist. The helicopter crew arrived on scene, hoisted the ailing man, and transported the patient to Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - Shoreline. He was last reported to be in stable condition.
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