US Navy destroyer assits in medical evacuation of Pakistani Navy sailor

U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) assisted in the medical evacuation of a Pakistani Navy sailor on March 6.

The sailor, assigned to Zulfiquar-class frigate PNS Aslat was in need of medical attention.

“After finding out the status of the patient, I coordinated with my corpsmen and the chain of command to come up with a plan to provide assistance,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kelvin Murphy.

That evening, Truxtun sent a crew in a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to meet Aslat, pick up the sailor and transport him back to Truxtun.

“It was just after nightfall so visibility was low, which provided a challenge for our boat crew,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel Martinez.

At approximately 7 p.m., after the sailor was safely aboard Truxtun, a MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 detachment launched from Truxtin to transport the sailor to a shore-based medical facility for treatment.

The sailor is expected to make a full recovery, the U.S. Navy said.