Navy SAR rescues boater off South Whidbey

A search and rescue team of five individuals from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island conducted a rescue mission Monday afternoon, March 25.

The SAR alert crew received notification of a person sitting on an overturned boat near Possession Point on South Whidbey at 1:30 p.m. The crew launched within 15 minutes and were on scene at 1:58 p.m. and had recovered the individual by 2:07 p.m., according to a Navy press release.

Once the crew brought the man aboard the helicopter, he was flown to Skagit Valley Hospital for further evaluation.

This was the third rescue of 2019 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted one search and six medical evacuation missions this year.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation platforms for the EA-18G Growler aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation.

Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civil rescues and medical evacuations to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties, according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and

agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (based on a Washington state memorandum of understanding) for inland missions, and/or tasking by the Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable, according to the Navy.