Durban – Thursday, 13 August. Patient evacuation off a ship:  

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:At 14h44, Thursday, 13 August, NSRI Durban duty crew and Netcare 911 ambulance services were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for medical assistance from a crude oil tanker off-shore of the Port of Durban reporting a 30 year old Chinese crewman with a medical condition requiring hospital care.The sea rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched accompanied by 3 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics.On arrival at the vessel, 5 nautical miles off-shore, an NSRI rescue swimmer and one Netcare 911 rescue paramedic were transferred onto the vessel and the patient was taken into their care from the ships medical crew.The patient, in a stable condition, was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and the 2 rescue crew were recovered from the vessel.The patient, in the care of the rescue paramedics, was brought to our sea rescue station onboard our sea rescue craft and he has been transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance for further medical care.All Covid-19 precautions and protocols were observed during the operation.NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, WC Government Health EMS, Netcare 911 duty controllers, NSRI Durban duty controllers, the ships agent, Transnet National Ports Authority and the Port Health Authority, assisted Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in communications, coordination and logistics during the operation.The operation completed at 17h36.