Coast Guard medevacs man from tanker 15 miles off Galveston coast

GALVESTON, Texas – A 29-year-old man was medevaced by a Coast Guard helicopter crew Monday afternoon, after reports of suffering from a hernia on a tanker ship about 15 miles off Galveston, in the Fairway Anchorage.

The master of the 600-foot tanker, Agena, contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at approximately 1 p.m. to report that the mess cook had been suffering from hernia symptoms for several days and had gotten worse.

The watchstanders diverted an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to medevac the man, according to the Coast Guard. The helicopter crew was on scene around 2 p.m. and transferred the man from the tanker. 

The Coast Guard said they then flew to Scholes International Airport in Galveston, where EMS was waiting to transport the man to the University of Texas Medical Branch.

The man was reported in stable condition.