US Ships Aid Romanian Sailor At Sea

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rachel McMarr, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) will return a Romanian Sailor to his ship, the Liberian-flagged motor vessel (M/V) Antonis A, July 16 after Mesa Verde's medical team treated him for severe dehydration.

The Romanian Sailor became ill while his ship was operating in the northern Red Sea, which prompted the master-of-the-vessel to issue a medical distress call to guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) over bridge-to-bridge communications at about 1:30 a.m.

San Jacinto dispatched a search and rescue (SAR) team in a SH-60 Seahawk helicopter, the Mayport, Fla.-based "Proud Warrior," to pick up the ailing man and transport him to nearby Mesa Verde, which has a large on board medical and trauma facility.

Upon the SAR team's arrival, the Mesa Verde medical team treated the Sailor and determined he was suffering from severe dehydration.

Mesa Verde and San Jacinto are both transiting the Red Sea to return to their homeport in Norfolk having completed a successful deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.