ANDERSEN AIR BASE, Guam -- Sailors assigned to the Guam-based "Island Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 rescued a commercial mariner with a medical emergency aboard a cargo ship approximately 120 miles West of Guam Sunday.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam notified HSC-25 at 12:35 p.m. that a Chinese crew member aboard the Netherland-flagged vessel Wangaratta had life threatening symptoms. HSC-25 launched the rescue mission when the ship was within range.

The mariner was taken to Naval Hospital Guam then later transferred to Guam Memorial Hospital and is in stable condition.

"This was my first lifesaving Medical Evacuation as a member of HSC-25," said Aircraft Commander LT Samantha Telles-Goins. "Seeing all of my training pay off successfully was a very rewarding experience".

The incident was the 21st emergency call to HSC 25 by USCG Sector Guam and marks 7 survivor recoveries during search and rescue and medical evacuations in 2018 to date.

"It takes a comprehensive effort spanning HSC-25 aircrew, medical, and aircraft maintenance personnel for the Island Knights to sustain our alert posture for Guam and the CNMI," said HSC 25 Commanding Officer, CDR Will Eastham. "Having those efforts result in lives saved is a great source of pride for every member of the Island Knight team."

HSC-25 provides a multi-mission rotary wing capability for units in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and maintains a Guam-based 24-hour search and rescue and medical evacuation capability, directly supporting U.S. Coast Guard and Joint Region Marianas. HSC-25 is the Navy's only forward-deployed MH-60S expeditionary squadron.