Michael Wilson, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty coxswain, said:At 15h00, Sunday, 14 March, NSRI Port Elizabeth was placed on alert to prepare for a pending patient evacuation operation expected to take place mid evening.A local adult male fisherman, on a local fishing vessel, had been stung by a Stingray while at fishing grounds a few days earlier.Medical crew onboard the vessel were treating the fisherman for pain and while he was recovering they decided to rather call for assistance and they were instructed to begin heading towards their nearest Port after a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor evaluated the patient in communications and it was deemed necessary for him to be evacuated to hospital as soon as possible.NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, WC Government Health EMS, Transnet National Ports Authority and Port Health Authorities assisted MRCC in logistics and coordination of the patient evacuation operation.At 21h30 NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft, accompanied by 2 EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics, and we rendezvoused with the fishing trawler off-shore of Summer Strand in Algoa Bay.2 NSRI rescue crew were transferred onto the fishing trawler and the patient was found to be in a stable condition and walking wounded.He was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and brought to our NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue station in the care of the 2 EMS rescue paramedics.The patient was transported to hospital for further care.Then at 08h30, Monday, 15 March, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were activated following reports of a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) taking water with 4 adult male crew onboard in Algoa Bay North of the Port of Port Elizabeth.Our duty crew responded to our rescue base ad the sea rescue craft JLT Rescuer was launched and on arrival on the scene, 2 nautical miles North of Port, we found all 4 men safe.A private boat had them under tow.Their craft and their outboard motors were lying low in the water and we took over the towline from the private craft.3 of the 4 crew were transferred onto the private boat and they were taken to shore aboard the private boat.The skipper remained on the casualty boat and we towed him into Port without incident where the boat was recovered and no further assistance was required.
