FLAG
HARBOR (Sept. 9, 2007)
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The Coast Guard medevaced a
man from his sail boat in the Chesapeake Bay Saturday
evening after reporting that he was suffering from chest
pains.
At 7: 16 p.m. Michael Airey, 60, was aboard his 23-foot
sailing vessel with his wife near Calvert Cliffs Power
Plant when he began experiencing pain in his chest. His
wife, Berta Airey, called Towboat U.S. from a cell phone
and requested help.
Towboat U.S. relayed
the call to Coast Guard Sector Baltimore's command
center. Watch standers at the Sector directed Coast
Guard Station Oxford, Md., to launch their rescue crew.
With the help of a Maryland State Police helicopter
crew, who located the vessel and guided the Coast Guard
rescue crew to the location, members from Station Oxford
were able to remove both individuals from the sailing
vessel. They were taken to Flag Harbor Marina in Calvert
County, Md., where they were met by local EMS and taken
to Calvert Memorial Hospital.
The vessel is being
towed by Towboat U.S.
Additionally, This was
the first rescue for every member of the Coast Guard
rescue crew from Station Oxford tonight. Petty Officer
2nd class John Oliver Geoier, Petty Officer 3rd Class
J.J. Fouche, Petty Officer 3rd Class Joe Hurst and Petty
Officer 2nd Class Stephen Demarcus.
The Coast Guard urges
mariners to keep marine band radios onboard their
vessels. Marine band radios are a reliable way to
communicate a distress call in the event of an
emergency. Cell phones are not a reliable source of
communication as their battery power is limited and the
coverage areas on the water are unpredictable.
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