Durban – Friday, 4 September. Patient evacuation off a ship:  

Timothy Edwards, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:At 11h23, Friday, 4 September, NSRI Durban duty crew were activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) following a request for assistance from the ships agent of a 222 meter container motor vessel at outer anchorage reporting a 37 year old Turkish crewman suffering an injury onboard.TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) were alerted.Netcare 911 ambulance services were activated.The vessel was instructed to heave anchor to make her way closer to the Port of Durban.A WC Government Health EMS duty doctor evaluated the injury in communications with the ship and Port Health authorities were alerted.We launched our 14 meter sea rescue craft Alick Rennie, accompanied by 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics, and we rendezvoused with the vessel approximately 6 nautical miles off-shore from the Port of Durban.A Netcare 911 rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescue swimmer were transferred onto the vessel and they took over care of the patient from the ships medical crew.The patient was stabilised and he was transferred onto our sea rescue craft.Once the casualty was safe on board our sea rescue craft the rescue paramedic and the rescue swimmer were transferred back onto our sea rescue craft and we returned to the NSRI Durban sea rescue station with the patient in the care of the rescue paramedics.On arrival at our sea rescue station the patient was transferred into a Netcare 911 ambulance and in a stable condition he was transported to hospital 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 ambulance service duty controllers, NSRI Durban duty controllers, Transnet National Ports Authority and Port Health Authorities assisted Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in communications, coordination and logistics during the operation.The operation completed at 14h16.