SEA RESCUE – St Francis Bay – Sunday, 05th July. Fisherman returns to work following seizures at sea:
Paul Hurley, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said:
'At 16h00 on Sunday the 5th of July, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following an emergency call to Telkom Maritime Radio Services from the Chokka fishing boat KRAKEN reporting a 49 year old Jeffreys Bay fisherman onboard suffering seizures and suspected to be suffering a heart attack.
'The vessel was off Aasvogel, Tsitsikama, and were making best speed towards St Francis Bay.
'Our duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF ST FRANCIS II and rendezvoused with the vessel 2 nautical miles off Gibson Bay. The patient was found to be suffering seizures and it could not be determined if he was also suffering a heart attack.
'In a serious condition the patient was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and resuscitation efforts were administered as we headed back to the Port of St Francis arriving at 18h20 where Private Care ambulance services were waiting.
'Private Care paramedics continued with assisted breathing resuscitation and the patient was transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition by ambulance.
'Hospital staff at Kouga Provincial hospital have confirmed that the patient was kept overnight and released from hospital and returned to work this morning, Monday, 06th July, after being treated for known epilepsy.
'It appears that the patient had run out of prescription seizure medication at sea causing him to suffer a relapse of seizures.'
-ENDS-
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