By SUZANNE DOWNING
Oct. 2, 2026 — A medical emergency aboard a container ship near Adak prompted a complex rescue spanning more than 1,000 miles, with the US Coast Guard and Alaska Air National Guard coordinating refueling stops, a helicopter crew change, and multiple aircraft to bring the patient to Anchorage.
The crews evacuated a 58-year-old man from the Japanese-flagged container ship One Majesty on Wednesday, approximately 58 miles south of Adak. The man, identified as the vessel’s master, was reportedly experiencing severe abdominal pain indicating a medical emergency.
Coast Guard Arctic District watchstanders received the medevac request from the crew of the 991-foot ship at approximately 6 am Tuesday. They directed the launch of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak.
Reaching the ship required a transit of more than 1,000 miles — roughly the distance between Tampa Bay, Florida, and New York City. The helicopter crew stopped to refuel in Dutch Harbor and Adak.
The distance also required a relief helicopter crew to reduce fatigue and maintain flight safety. The Coast Guard requested assistance from the Alaska Air National Guard’s 211th Rescue Squadron, based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
An HC-130J Combat King II aircrew transported a replacement Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak and two pararescuemen from the Guard’s 212th Rescue Squadron to Adak.
Meanwhile, a second Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched from Kodiak and staged in Cold Bay, ready to provide assistance if the primary helicopter crew encountered an emergency.
After the crew change in Adak, the relief Coast Guard aircrew departed with the two National Guard pararescuemen aboard. The HC-130J flew alongside the helicopter, providing overhead flight cover as the aircraft traveled approximately 58 miles south to the One Majesty.
The Coast Guard crew hoisted the patient from the ship and returned to Adak, where he was transferred to the National Guard’s HC-130J. That aircraft transported him to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, where emergency medical personnel took over his care.
“I am incredibly proud of the resilience displayed by everyone involved in this long and complex rescue effort,” said Jennifer Whitcomb, search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Arctic District. “The determination and collaborative efforts of the Coast Guard, Alaska Air National Guard and One Majesty crew were the vital keys to the success of this life-saving mission.”
No update on the man’s condition was available at press time.
