The Coast Guard rescued a 59-year-old man who injured his arm near the Umqua River jetty outside of Winchester Bay. The man, who suffered a severe injury to his arm, was transported back to Coast Guard Station Umpqua River where he was met by local emergency medical services and then transported man to local urgent care. Station Umpqua River watchstanders received the request for assistance from the operator of the 29-foot pleasure craft stating that he injured his arm after being hit by a wave. A Station Umpqua River 47-foot motor life boat crew launched, arrived on scene and removed the injured man from his vessel. A second Station Umpqua River MLB crew launched to retrieve the pleasure craft and towed it back to the station. “This man was the only person on the boat and losing excessive blood,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Smith, a boatswain’s mate and coxswain of the MLB who recovered the injured man. “Based the severity of his injuries, we were the fastest and most reliable response crew to get him to the medical treatment he needed.” Weather on scene at the time of the incident were reported calm winds and 2 to 4-foot seas.
