Coast Guard Rescues Elderly US Man Who Nearly Drowned While Snorkeling Near Dominican Republic

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 70-year-old U.S. man who experienced a “near-drowning” while snorkeling off the coast of the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.

The crew of the motor vessel Sea Hunter notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan in Puerto Rico that one of their passengers, a 70-year-old U.S. citizen, was recovered from the water “unresponsive and not breathing” after snorkeling. The Sea Hunter crew reported that the man regained consciousness after they used an automated external defibrillator, but said he was in need of a higher level of care.

The Coast Guard launched a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew to the Sea Hunter’s location approximately 70 nautical miles north of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and arranged for EMS personnel to meet the patient on shore.

The helicopter crew deployed a rescue swimmer to prepare the patient and his spouse to be hoisted to the aircraft. A video shared by the Coast Guard shows the helicopter crew hoisting the man in a rescue basket.

The helicopter transported the patient to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he was transferred to awaiting EMS personnel who transported him to the local “Centro Medico” Hospital.

“This mission presented a significant challenge, as time was of the essence and required meticulous planning of fuel, communications, and extensive coordination between Sector San Juan and the Sea Hunter crew,” Lt. William Boardman, Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk aircraft commander for the case, said in a statement. “Our team worked efficiently on scene to ensure a safe return to Puerto Rico. The patient was successfully transferred to Emergency Medical Service personnel and transported to a higher level of care. A huge thank you to everyone involved.”