A Cormorant helicopter from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron at 19 Wing Comox was tasked Monday afternoon to evacuate a sailor from HMCS Ottawa.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria received a call from the frigate that a sailor onboard was suffering from an anaphylactic reaction.
Medical staff onboard the ship determined that Able Seaman Matthew Telfser required higher medical care after treating symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.
HMCS Ottawa was conducting sea trials off the coast near Bamfield, which is also the location of a Coast Guard station. The Canadian Coast Guard SAR Lifeboat Cape McKay was first to reach the frigate and brought the sailor to an abandoned airstrip where the Cormorant was able to land.
“When the patient came into our care, he was stable and his symptoms had subsided,” said Sgt. Glen Hood, lead search and technician on the mission. “Anaphylactic shock requires critical intervention according to our procedures. Such condition can be unpredictable; even though he had stabilized, there was no reason for him not to receive further medical care.”
The Cormorant returned to 19 Wing Comox, where paramedics from BC Ambulance transported him to St. Joseph’s General Hospital.
The Cormorant crew was Capt. Jen Weissenborn, aircraft commander; Capt. Luc Coates, first officer; Sgt. Carl Schouten, flight engineer; Sgt. Glen Hood and MCpl. Manuel Séguin, SAR tech.
— 19 Wing