Navy's new $4.3b stealth destroyer USS Zumwalt rescues fisherman on its first day of sea trials

  • The 600-foot USS Zumwault is largest destroyer ever built for Navy
  • It was doing sea trials when Coast Guard received a distress call  
  • The 46-year-old captain was having chest pains 
  • He was transported to the destroyer's desk and airlifted to a hospital 

The U.S. Navy's new $4.3 billion stealth destroyer, the future USS Zumwalt, assisted in the rescue of a fisherman who had a medical emergency early Saturday off the Maine coast.

The 600-foot, 15,000-ton Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built for the Navy. 

It was out for sea trials when Coast Guard officials received a distress call that the 46-year-old captain of fishing boat Danny Boy was suffering from chest pains around 3am, officials said. 

The U.S. Navy's new $4.3 billion stealth destroyer, the future USS Zumwalt, assisted in the rescue of a fisherman who had a medical emergency early Saturday off the Maine coast (pictured at Portland Harbor)

The U.S. Navy's new $4.3 billion stealth destroyer, the future USS Zumwalt, assisted in the rescue of a fisherman who had a medical emergency early Saturday off the Maine coast (pictured at Portland Harbor)

The 45-foot Danny Boy was about 40 miles southeast of Portland, according to the Portland Press Herald.

A Jayhawk helicopter responded from Air Station Cape Cod, but the crew determined it would be too dangerous to hoist the fisherman up due to the configuration of the fishing boat's deck.

A crew and small boat from the Zumwalt transferred the man to the destroyer's deck, officials said. 

The helicopter crew then hoisted the patient on board and transported him to shore, where he was taken to a hospital.

'Our main concern with this type of medical emergency is to recover the patient safely and transport them to a higher level care as quickly as possible,' said Lt. David Bourbeau, public affairs officer at Sector Northern New England.

'Fortunately the Zumwalt was operating in the area and was able to provide valuable assistance.'

The Zumwalt left Bath Iron Works for sea trials on Monday.

Bath Iron Works will be testing the ship's performance and making tweaks this winter. 

The goal is to deliver it to the Navy sometime next year.

The 600-foot, 15,000-ton Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built for the Navy

The 600-foot, 15,000-ton Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built for the Navy

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