Patient evacuation off Chokka fishing boat:

Paul Hurley, NSRI St Francis Bay duty coxswain, said:At 16h26, Friday, 12th October, our NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II following a request for medical assistance made from the Chokka fishing boat Santa Maria reporting a 34 year old local crewman onboard suffering Hemoptysis and abdominal pains.The fishing boat, 24 nautical miles East of Port St Frances, was not able to steam towards Port as her crew were in the process of repairing the motors.We rendezvoused with the fishing boat and the patient was transferred onto our sea rescue craft.After ensuring that the crew of Santa Maria were safe and that repairs to their motors were well under way we headed back towards Port and the patient, in a serious condition, was placed on oxygen and medical treatment provided and he was stabilised by our NSRI medics onboard our sea rescue craft en route back to Port.On arrival in Port the patient, in a stable condition, has been transferred into a Private Care ambulance and he has been transported to hospital for further medical car