Mexico’s Navy (SEMAR) evacuated a 74-year-old man showing symptoms of a possible heart attack from a vessel near San Evaristo in La Paz municipality on Friday, April 4. The emergency response came after crew aboard the boat placed a distress call reporting the man’s condition while sailing south of Isla San José.
Defender Craft Dispatched to Intercept Vessel
SEMAR dispatched a Defender-type naval craft staffed with medical personnel to intercept the boat. San Evaristo, a small fishing village roughly 90 kilometers north of La Paz along the Sea of Cortez coast, sits in remote waters with limited road access and no nearby hospital.
Once the Navy craft reached the vessel, responders evacuated the patient along with a family member. The man was transported to the Fourth Naval Zone dock in La Paz, where an ambulance was waiting.
Patient Transferred to Private Hospital
From the dock, the 74-year-old was taken by ambulance to a private hospital in La Paz for specialized cardiac care. SEMAR did not release the patient’s name or the name of the vessel involved. The agency also did not provide an update on the man’s condition after he reached the hospital.
The waters around Isla San José and San Evaristo are popular with recreational boaters, kayakers, and sport fishermen. The area’s isolation makes maritime medical emergencies especially dangerous, as the nearest full-service hospitals are in La Paz, at least two hours away by boat.
Navy Reminds Public of Emergency Lines
In its statement, SEMAR reminded boaters and the public that its Coast Guard maintains emergency phone lines available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for maritime emergencies. The Fourth Naval Zone, headquartered in La Paz, oversees naval operations along the Baja California Sur coastline and the southern Sea of Cortez.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.