Coast Guard Chopper Crew Makes Daring Rescue Off Cape Cod

PROVINCETOWN, MA — A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter crew safely completed a daring rescue 100 miles off Cape Cod Sunday as a snowstorm bore down. The Coast Guard said at about 1:45 p.m., they received a satellite phone call from captain of the Athena, a fishing vessel based in New Bedford. A 24-year-old crew member fell ill and required hospitalization.

The helicopter crew arrived at the boat's location about 115 miles east of Provincetown at about 4:15 p.m. as darkness fell. At the time, there were 10-15 knot winds and 5-foot waves. Coast Guard officer Luke Headley was lowered down to the boat, where he secured the fisherman. The pair were then hoisted back up.

"It was a complex hoist due to darkness and the configuration of the boats rigging," Headley said in a statement.

The fisherman was flown to Hyannis Airport, loaded into an ambulance, and transported to Cape Cod Hospital. His condition was stable. The Coast Guard did not release the nature of the man's illness.

The Coast Guard shared this video of the rescue:

Photo: A Coast Guard helicopter rescues a fisherman off Cape Cod December 11, 2016. (Credit: Coast Guard)