At 12h56(Sunday, 03 November) AAL SA (Advanced Aviation Logistics), the NSRI Helicopter Rescue Unit (HRU) and WC Government Health EMS were activated following a request from the ships agent to casualty evacuate by helicopter a patient reportedly suffering paralysis from the waist down from unknown causes from the 250 meter gas oil carrier SKS DOURO sailing unladen from India to Brazil.
An AAL SA helicopter, from the Table Bay Port helicopter base, accompanied by an NSRI HRU team and a WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic rendezvoused with the ship 6 nautical miles off-shore of Green Point and a HRU rescue swimmer and the EMS rescue paramedic were hoisted aboard the ships deck from the helicopter.
The adult male patient (Nationality not determined by NSRI) was stabilized and secured into a specialized rescue hoisting stretcher and hoisted into the helicopter.
The patient was airlifted to shore where he was transferred into an EMS ambulance and transported in a stable condition to the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital for further treatment.
The operation was completed at 15h56.
