Injured crew members airlifted from Tamar

Tamar

APRIL 26, 2017 — The Coast Guard reports that two surviving crew members of the bulk-carrier Tamar explosion (see earlier story) were medevaced at approximately 4:30 a.m., by a Portuguese aircrew along with three New York Air National Guard 106th Rescue Wing pararescuers.

The aircrew arrived in Terceira Island, Azores at about 7 a.m. A Portuguese Air Force jet is scheduled to be waiting along with a medical team to bring the injured to Lisbon, Portugal for medical treatment.

The New York Air National Guard’s pararescuers arrived on board the Tamar at about 9:30 p.m., Monday, after deploying from their HC-130 with two small boats and advanced life-saving equipment.

Pararescuers, whose primary mission is to rescue downed pilots, are trained in advanced emergency medical care as well as parachuting, scuba diving, and survival, escape and evasion.

The 106th Rescue Wing, which is based at Gabreski Air National Guard Base, was given the mission of flying help to the Tamar, which was originally heading from Baltimore, Maryland for Gibraltar but is now heading for the Azores.