Ailing man dies despite airlift from Matson ship

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 38-year-old man who was airlifted off a Matson container ship after he stopped breathing last night died at Castle Medical Center.

The man was brought to Castle at 8:23 p.m. He was pronounced dead about 10 minutes later, a hospital spokesman said.

The Coast Guard received a call at about 7:30 last night that a man was having seizures aboard the Matson container ship Maui, Coast Guard spokesman David Mosley said.

A HH-65 Dolphin helicopter on patrol in the Kane'ohe Bay area was dispatched to the Maui, which was about 30 miles off Kane'ohe, Mosley said.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was lowered onto the Maui, but the man had already stopped breathing, Mosley said. CPR was performed on the man from the time he was brought onto the helicopter until it reached O'ahu.

The helicopter was unable to land at Castle Medical Center because the helipad was under construction, Mosley said. The man was flown to Kailua District Park, transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to Castle.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.