MAZATUN

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Fishermen injured by collapsing crane

The US Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of two Mexican fishermen aboard the "Mazatun" who had been injured when their vessel’s crane collapsed more than 1300 miles southwest of San Diego in international waters on July 9, 2019. The safety officer from the tuna fishing fleet Pesca Azteca contacted Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center watchstanders in Alameda, at approximately 8 p.m. reporting three people were injured, two severely, aboard the fishing vessel after a crane collapsed while recovering nets. Fishing nets obstructed the "Mazatun"’s propellers during the incident and the boat was unable to transit under its own power. Therefore, the two severely injured fishermen were transferred to a sister ship of the "Mazatun", the "Tamara", which began transiting toward the nearest land, a Mexican naval outpost on Socorro Island. The "Tamara" was located more than 700 miles away from Socorro Island and would take two days to arrive. Due to the far distance offshore, the inability to treat the life threating head and leg injuries, and long delay to receive proper medical care, watchstanders contacted the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and requested pararescue medical assistance. The 563rd Rescue Wing deployed aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, along with a McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender tanker out of Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, at approximately 11 a.m., Wednesday, to rendezvous with the "Tamara" as it was en route to Socorro Island. Eight pararescuemen and an Air Force flight surgeon parachuted from the Hercules and arrived aboard Tamara at approximately 4:15 p.m. that day, and provided trauma care to the fishermen. The medical team was able to stabilize the injuries and they remained under the supervision of the flight surgeon for the voyage to Socorro Island. The "Tamara" arrived at Socorro harbor, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on July 12 and transferred the two fishermen to the Mexican naval medical clinic on the island. The decision was made to keep the fishermen overnight and utilize an air ambulance that would transport them to Mazatlan for further medical care on July 13.

Several crew members in need of medical assistance

The "Mazatun" on July 9, 2019, reported numerous crew members in need of urgent medical assistance in the Pacific, about 1250 miles East of Manzanillo. Later that day the vessel headed for its home port Mazatlan. On July 12 at 6 a.m. it was 750 miles Southwest of Mazatlan.