At 10h30 on Monday the 15th of July Hout Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to rendezvous with the 27 meter Cape Town fishing trawler DAN TANGO to casualty evacuate an ill fisherman onboard.Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay duty controller, said: 'The trawler had been liaising with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) from earlier in the day after the patient fell ill suffering Hematemisis (vomiting blood) and a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, who evaluated the medical condition of the patient by radio telephone, had deemed it necessary for the patient, a 26 year old man from Delft, Cape Town, to be evacuated to hospital at the earliest opportunity. At that stage the vessel was 20 nautical miles South West of Cape Point and the skipper was asked to set sail towards Hout Bay.'Our Hout Bay volunteers launched NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS and responded, in 2 meter swells and a 20 knot North Westerly wind, accompanied by a WC Government Health EMS paramedic while an EMS ambulance was summoned to stand by at our Hout Bay sea rescue base to receive the patient on his arrival on shore.'Our sea rescue craft rendezvoused with the DAN TANGO off Slangkop Lighthouse and the EMS paramedic and an NSRI rescuer were transferred onboard to stabilize the patient who was found to be in a serious condition suffering from a suspected stomach ulcer.'Rather than to attempt to transfer the patient onto a sea rescue craft in the rough sea conditions the paramedic and the NSRI rescuer remained onboard the DAN TANGO treating the patient while the trawler made her way into Hout Bay harbour, escorted by our sea rescue craft, where once berthed in Hout Bay harbour the patient was transferred into the waiting ambulance and he has been transported to hospital, in a serious but stable condition, where he is receiving further treatment.'The DAN TANGO has departed Hout Bay to continue on her voyage.'The rescue operation was completed at 13h45.'This picture is available for media download on
Sea Rescue's Flickr page.
The rescue boats meet up with the DAN TANGO. Picture Rob Fine.
