A Maine fisherman who suffered a medical emergency at sea was rescued early Saturday morning by the crew of a Navy destroyer that was conducting sea trials in an area about 40 nautical miles southeast of Portland, according to the US Coast Guard office in Boston.
The Zumwalt, the Navy's new stealth destroyer, answered a call for assistance issued by the Coast Guard, after an MH-60 Jayhawk dispatched from Air Station Cape Cod could not reach the deck of the 45-foot boat, the Danny Boy, the Coast Guard stated.
The small boat crew reached the vessel, loaded the captain on, and transferred him to the destroyer. The Jayhawk then hoisted the man and transported him to Portland JetPort, where EMS crews transported him by ambulance to Maine Medical Center.
The captain, identified by the Portland Press Herald as 46-year-old Dale Sparrow, was reported to have suffered chest pains. The Press Herald said he was in stable condition Saturday night.
"Our main concern with this type of medical emergency is to recover the patient safely and transport them to a higher level care as quickly as possible," said Lt. David Bourbeau, public affairs officer at Sector Northern New England. "Fortunately the Zumwalt was operating in the area and was able to provide valuable assistance to facilitate a safe hoist evolution for the rescue crew."
Bath Iron Works, where the Zumwalt was constructed in Maine, will be testing the ship's performance and making tweaks this winter. The goal is to deliver it to the Navy sometime next year.
Video of the rescue:
Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com. The Associated Press contributed to this article.