A high-speed collision on the Carambola Zipline platform in St. Croix resulted in the medical evacuation of two injured people on Friday, carried out by the crew of a US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk aircraft.
Jason Bomar, 58, and Jeanne Glidewell, 32, both US citizens, were injured many times during the event.
The Coast Guard stated that it was called into action in response to a request from St. Croix Rescue, as the location’s intricacies made access problematic. The zip-line platform is located around 200 feet above earth, surrounded by dense terrain and forest, necessitating specialist evacuation procedures.
After receiving the request, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan arranged the launch of a rescue helicopter from Air Station Borinquen. Local rescue professionals, notably the St. Croix Rescue Team and the Virgin Islands Fire Service, administered initial first aid and stabilized the injured people, preparing them for the hoist operation.
Lt. David Tirado Tolosa, the aircraft commander for the medevac, emphasized the collective effort required. “This case highlights the importance of teamwork,” he told me. “It was a difficult location to hoist two injured people, but our crew and local rescue professionals performed an excellent job of stabilizing them, allowing us to complete the hoists safely. We are delighted to have flown these patients to obtain the medical attention they required.”
According to the announcement, the Coast Guard helicopter crew arrived at the area and sent a rescue swimmer to the platform. The team used a rescue litter and three hoists to safely transport the injured man and women aboard the chopper. The rescue swimmer was then retrieved, and the plane flew to its next destination.
The patients were taken to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Emergency Medical Service workers, who facilitated their transfer to Centro Medico Hospital for further care.