Ill fisherman rescued off Ni’ihau by Coast Guard

NI’IHAU — An Oahu fisherman was hoisted to safety yesterday when he became

ill on board a 68-foot commercial fishing vessel 18 miles south of

Ni’ihau.

Jeff Brown, 39, was transported to Queens Hospital abroad a Coast

Guard helicopter.

He was suffering from smoke inhalation, which occurred

while he was attempting to repair the engine of the fishing vessel he works on.

From his hospital bed, Brown told The Garden Island he and five other crew

members were four days into a fishing operation when the engine of their vessel

started burning oil and billowing smoke. They were attempting to return to

O’ahu when the engine failed completely, he said.

The Princess Kay reported

to Coast Guard Group Honolulu that it was experiencing engine problems and in

need of Coast Guard assistance Wednesday night at 10:40 p.m.

The Coast

Cutter Washington departed Honolulu Harbor at midnight Wednesday and arrived on

the scene at 8 a.m. yesterday, according to a Coast Guard report.

Petty

Officer 1st Class Tammy Michelli, an Emergency Medical Technician on board the

Washington, found Brown suffering from dizziness, headaches, nausea and

respiratory problems.

CDR Francisco Lago-Velez, a flight surgeon at Coast

Guard Integrated Support Center in Honolulu, confirmed the need for a medevac

support operation.

The Dolphin helicopter was launched from Barbers Point

at 11:32 a. m.

The Dolphin arrived on scene at 12: 15 p.m. and used a

rescue basket to hoist Brown from the deck of the Washington.

The Dolphin

delivered Brown to The Queen’s Medical Center Thursday at 1:55 p.m. where he

underwent testing to determine the extent of his injuries.

Eric Hedaa,

Coast Guard spokesman, said the Washington continued towing the Princess Kay

towards O’ahu where it transferred the ship to a commercial salvage vessel this

morning at about 6:45 a.m.