Wed, Apr 30, 2008
10-Hour Operation Lifts Six From Stricken Raft
Airmen from the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia
recently performed a maritime rescue in the Gulf of Mexico that
saved six lives.
The wing received the support request April 25 from the Joint
Personnel Recovery Center at Tyndall AFB, FL around 11oo EDT. The
request was in response to a report the Coast Guard received from
the Eos, an 800-foot Panamanian-flagged tanker ship operating in
the Gulf of Mexico. The Eos discovered and assisted a life raft
with migrants in distress.
Moody airmen responded by providing two HH-60G Pave Hawk
helicopters from the 41st Rescue Squadron, a 71st RQS HC-130P King
and pararescue assets from the 38th RQS.
The crew of the Pave Hawks performed a 10-hour mission, supported
by the aerial refueling and command and control capabilities of the
HC-130, and retrieved six of the stranded individuals from the
tanker 260 miles south of New Orleans.
The response required four sets of aerial refueling and the
close coordination of members from the 23rd Wing, JPRC, Coast Guard
and medical facilities in Louisiana.
Upon the Pave Hawks' arrival to the Eos, pararescuemen from the
38th RQS were lowered from the helicopters to medically assess and
treat the individuals. Subsequently, five adults and one child were
hoisted from the tanker and transported to a hospital in New
Orleans.
Following the rescue, all Moody-assigned units returned
safely.
The 23rd Wing is responsible for all Air Force active duty
combat search and rescue assets in the continental United States
and routinely supports civilian rescue assets around the
country.
Nice job, guys.
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