Coast Guard technician dies following rescue mission
Published 4:30 pm Friday, March 6, 2026
SEATTLE — A U.S. Coast Guard aviation survival technician died Thursday night from injuries suffered during a rescue last week.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers, who was stationed at Air Station Astoria, Ore., was critically injured Feb. 27 during the rescue of a distressed mariner from the commercial ship Momi Arrow offshore of Oregon, according to a Coast Guard news release.
The Momi Arrow was located about 120 nautical miles west of Cape Flattery during the medical emergency operation. Jaggers was a member of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew that responded to the incident.
Jaggers was transported to Victoria General Hospital in Victoria, B.C., for initial treatment, according to a news release from the Coast Guard. He was subsequently transferred to Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, where he died.
During a ceremony attended by his family and fellow crew members from Air Station Astoria, the Coast Guard recognized Jaggers’ courage by meritorious advancement to Petty Officer Second Class and award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest military awards for heroism during aerial flight. He succumbed to his injuries and died shortly after.
“Aviation Survival Technician Jaggers represented the very best of our service and the Aviation Rescue Swimmer community,” Adm. Kevin Lunday, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, said in the news release. “He demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of danger, upholding the highest standards of courage and excellence for Coast Guard operations. We honor his selfless actions and unwavering devotion to our highest calling: to save others. His family has our deepest condolences and steadfast support, and we continue to honor their privacy during this very difficult time.”
Jaggers joined the Coast Guard in January 2022 and served at Air Station Astoria since April 2024. He had previously been recognized for superior performance by the Secretary of Homeland Security while assigned as a crew member aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare during operations in the Caribbean Sea.
The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation into the cause of Jaggers’ injuries during the rescue and will release additional information as it becomes available.
