US Coast Guard, Hawai‘i Life Flight transport patient from Kona to Honolulu

U.S. Coast Guard personnel assisted Hawai‘i Life Flight with an emergency transport Wednesday from Kona on the Big Island to Honolulu.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health at about 1 p.m. Wednesday requested assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders with a non-maritime emergency medical transport for a 44-year-old patient in Kona experiencing a severe abdominal condition.

Watchstanders briefed the duty flight surgeon, who concurred with the need for the patient to be transported as soon as possible.

At 3 p.m. Wednesday, an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point on O‘ahu was launched, en route to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport.

A Hawai‘i Life Flight medical team was aboard to receive the patient and provide in-flight care on the return flight from the Big Island to O‘ahu.

The airplane crew transported the patient to Barbers Point, where the patient was successfully transferred by emergency medical services for further transport to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.