A crewman suffered a head injury on Tuesday and was airlifted from a fishing vessel 50 miles off the Oregon Coast. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. Two Coast Guard helicopters responded to the emergency. The crewman was taken to North Bend for treatment. Commercial fishermen working in Oregon and Washington continue to suffer injuries at an alarming rate. Every vessel owner owes their crewmen a safe place to work and a seaworthy vessel. In cases of serious injuries, crewmen must be evacuated for treatment as soon as possible. This is particularly true in head injury cases, where the extent of crewmen’s injuries may not be readily apparent, and complications can have delayed onset.
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