Indian Sailor Safely Uplifted

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said: At 08h25, Tuesday, 23 June, NSRI Durban duty crew and Faith Med Emergency Medical Services were placed on alert by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) in cooperation with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to prepare for a medical evacuation operation, later in the week, of a 33 year old Indian seafarer onboard a tanker motor vessel who was suffering from a medical complaint. The tanker vessel was offshore Cape Town and proceeding to Durban with an estimated arrival time of Friday 26 June.

The casualties medical status was reportedly non-critical and was being monitored throughout the week by MRCC in cooperation with Shipmed medical services. The patient’s medical condition had reportedly stabilised during the week and arrangements for the medical evacuation operation were delayed.

Then at 16h32 on Saturday, 27 June, information was received that the patient’s condition had reportedly deteriorated. MRCC requested a medical evacuation operation to be undertaken on Sunday morning.

Preparations were made to carry out the medical evacuation operation at first light on Sunday while Shipmed Medical Services continued to communicate with the ships medical crew referring ongoing medical treatment to the casualty.

At 07h15, Sunday, 28 June, the NSRI Durban rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and by Faith Med rescue paramedics.

A Faith Med ambulance stood by at our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base to transport the casualty to hospital on the return of the rescue vessel.

Our rescue craft Alick Rennie rendezvoused with the motor vessel 6 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban in choppy sea conditions with 2 meter sea swells. The vessel maneuvered to create a lee on the vessels Starboard side and our MEX crew and a Faith Med rescue paramedic were transferred onboard the motor vessel where the patient, in a stable condition, was secured into a rescue harness and lifejacket. In cooperation with the ships crew, the patient was transferred onto our rescue craft, followed by the rescue crew.

In the care of the Faith Med paramedics the patient was brought to our NSRI rescue base and he was transported to hospital, in a stable condition, by Faith Med ambulance.

The operation was completed at 09H15.

In hospital, in the care of doctors and nurses, the patient is expected to make a full recovery.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, Faith Med EMS duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA Port Health, Shipmed medical services, SA Police Services Sea Borderline Control and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and the coordination of this successful maritime medical evacuation operation.