Patient evacuated off bulk carrier

At 13h35, Friday, 12th August, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Eikos Rescuer IV, accompanied by a Relay ambulance services paramedic, to rendezvous with the bulk carrier MV Arabella, 7 nautical miles North East of the Port of Port Elizabeth.

A 35 year old Filipino sailor suffered a back and leg injury sustained onboard when falling down a flight of stairs, this was reported to have happened at 06h15 that same morning while at sea.

The motor vessel, sailing from Mombasa to Corpus Christi, reported the injury to MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) and a Government Health EMS duty doctor evaluated the injury by radio telephone (assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services) and provided medical treatment advice and the vessel was requested to head towards the nearest Port (Port Elizabeth).

NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were alerted by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) at 10h35 to prepare for the operation. The sea rescue craft arrived on the scene at 14h00 in choppy seas with a 25 knot gusting South Westerly wind and the patient was stabilised and secured into a stokes basket stretcher and transferred onto the sea rescue craft and brought to the sea rescue base in Port where he was loaded into an EC Government Health EMS ambulance and transported to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment. MV Arabella has continued on her voyage.