A patient evacuation operation took place on Friday on the East Coast in a combined joint operation coordinated by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre).
Jonathan Kellerman, NSRI Durban station commander, said:At 14h43, Friday, 14 August, the SA Air Force (SAAF) 15 Squadron, NSRI Durban rescue swimmers and Netcare 911 rescue paramedics were activated to prepare to patient evacuate a 36 year old Indian crewman, suffering a serious injury, off a 330 meter crude oil tanker near to Port Elizabeth.NSRI Port Elizabeth had been placed on alert on Friday morning and remained on alert with their duty controllers monitoring throughout the operation.A SAAF 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter, accompanied by 2 NSRI Durban rescue swimmers and 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics, departed Durban Air Force Base and arrangements were made for refuelling to take place at East London and at Port Elizabeth.After refuelling was completed in East London, on arrival at the ship, off-shore of Algoa Bay, in calm sea conditions, 2 NSRI rescue swimmers and a Netcare 911 rescue paramedic were hoisted onto the vessel accompanied by a rescue stretcher.The patient, in a serious condition, suffering a compound fracture to a leg, reportedly sustained in a fall, was taken into their care from the ships medical crew.Secured into a rescue stretcher the patient was hoisted into the helicopter accompanied by a Netcare 911 rescue paramedic.The remaining 2 rescuers were hoisted off the ship and recovered into the helicopter.The patient was airlifted to a Port Elizabeth hospital in a stable but serious condition where he is recovering post an operation.The SAAF Oryx helicopter refuelled at Port Elizabeth 15 Squadron, Charlie Flight, Air Force Base, and on the return route to Durban refuelling took place at East London.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, NSRI Port Elizabeth 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 02h39 on Saturday morning.
