US Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tyler Jaggers has died following injuries sustained during a high-risk medical evacuation mission off the coast of Washington state, authorities confirmed. Jaggers, 1087th to earn the Coast Guard’s Gold Fins designation, was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Astoria.
The incident occurred on February 27, 2026, when Jaggers and his crew responded to a medical evacuation request for a stroke patient approximately 120 nautical miles west of Cape Flattery, Washington, near the Canadian border. While being deployed from a helicopter to the vessel, Jaggers was seriously injured. He was initially transported to Victoria General Hospital in British Columbia, Canada, and later transferred to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. He passed away on March 5, 2026, from complications related to his injuries.
Jaggers was recognized for his extraordinary heroism during the rescue mission, earning a meritorious advancement to Aviation Survival Technician Second Class and being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the nation’s highest awards for heroism in aerial operations. Coast Guard leaders, including Admiral Kevin E. Lunday and Master Chief Petty Officer Phillip N. Waldron, presented the award in a ceremony attended by Jaggers’ family, praising his courage and selflessness.
Aviation Survival Technician (AST) rating is one of the most selective in the US Armed Forces, with Jaggers among only 1,105 individuals past and present to earn the Gold Fins. Fellow rescue swimmers and colleagues described him as a dedicated, selfless, and fearless member of the Coast Guard. “Tyler earned his Gold Fins the way every rescue swimmer does, by refusing to quit,” said J. Butch Flythe, USCG Rescue Swimmer No. 5 and vice president of the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Association (CGHRSA). “He answered every call without hesitation and served with a selflessness that defines this community.”
Friends and family also shared poignant personal details. Jaggers had recently planned to propose to his fiancée, with his family performing the proposal on his behalf at his bedside. Social media posts reflected widespread grief and tributes from Coast Guard members, friends, and the broader search and rescue community. Rick McElrath, CGHRSA president, said, “Tyler lived our creed every day: ‘So Others May Live.’ That was not a motto to him. It was how he served and how he lived.”
The Coast Guard and CGHRSA are coordinating support for Jaggers’ family, the flight crew, and the Air Station Astoria community. Donations to assist those affected can be made through the CGHRSA. Tributes have poured in from colleagues, loved ones, and institutions such as the Columbia River Maritime Museum, honoring his service, courage, and legacy.
Jaggers’ death marks a profound loss for the USCG rescue community, highlighting both the dangers faced by service members and the extraordinary bravery demonstrated in the line of duty. His life and heroism will continue to be remembered by those who knew him and by the generations of rescue swimmers who follow in his footsteps.
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