Fisherman patient evacuated off fishing trawler

At 14h30 on Tuesday, 14th October, NSRI Port Elizabeth crew responded to assist the fishing trawler SANTA MARIA reporting to be 25 nautical miles West of Port Elizabeth with a crewman onboard suffering what they suspected to be a stroke. On investigation by NSRI it was confirmed that the patient was suffering from hypoglycaemia and was most likely in a diabetic coma.Our crew launched our sea rescue craft EIKOS RESCUER IV and SPIRIT OF TOFT, each accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, and responded in rough confused seas with a gusting 35 knot South Easterly wind to rendezvous with the trawler that was making slow progress towards Port Elizabeth.Our sea rescue craft EIKOS RESCUER IV arrived on-scene first and the EMS rescue paramedic were transferred onto the trawler where they found the patient to be unresponsive and in a serious condition.Following medical treatment the patient's condition was stabilised by the paramedic and transferred onto SPIRIT OF TOFT where the patient's condition stabilised considerably. On reaching the Port of Port Elizabeth the patients condition had normalised to the degree where he no longer required transportation to hospital and he was released, requiring no further assistance. He will visit his own doctor for a medical follow-up at a later stage.