After medevac off Vancouver Island, a U.S. Coast Guard member dies from injuries

Tyler Jaggers, an aviation survival technician based in Oregon, was responding to a medevac request from the cargo ship Mowi Arrow on Feb. 27 when he was critically injured. (USCG)

A United States Coast Guard member is dead after he was airlifted to hospital in Victoria suffering from critical injuries he sustained during a cargo ship rescue off Vancouver Island.

Tyler Jaggers, an aviation survival technician based in Oregon, was part of a helicopter crew that was responding to a medevac request from the cargo ship Mowi Arrow on Feb. 27 when he was injured.

Jaggers was flown from the cargo ship, some 220 kilometres west of Vancouver Island, to Victoria General Hospital for treatment, the U.S. marine service said in a statement Friday.

The injured rescuer was put on life support and then transferred to a U.S. Army medical centre in Washington state, according to a statement from the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Association.

Family and crewmembers attended a bedside ceremony at Joint Base Lewis-McChord this week, where Jaggers was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross before he died Thursday.

The award is one of the highest decorations that can be awarded to U.S. servicemembers who perform acts of heroism or outstanding achievement involving aerial flight.

“Aviation Survival Technician Jaggers represented the very best of our service and the aviation rescue swimmer community,” Adm. Kevin Lunday of the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement.

“He demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of danger, upholding the highest standards of courage and excellence for coast guard operations,” Lunday added.

The agency says it is still investigating the cause of his fatal injuries and will release additional information as it becomes available.

Jaggers had served in the U.S. Coast Guard since 2022 and was previously recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security for his performance while deployed in the Caribbean Sea, the agency said.

“We honour his selfless actions and unwavering devotion to our highest calling: to save others,” said Lunday.

“His family has our deepest condolences and steadfast support, and we continue to honour their privacy during this very difficult time.”