Patient evacuation from a motor vessel deep-sea off Cape Point

On Saturday, 8 May, NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) and AGA helicopters (Aerios Global Aviation) was tasked by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to patient evacuate, to hospital, a 26 year old Indian crewman from a motor vessel deep-sea off-shore of Cape Point.A WC Government Health EMS duty doctor had evaluated the patient's condition and it was deemed necessary for the patient, suffering injuries he had sustained onboard the vessel, to be evacuated to hospital as soon as possible.An AGA Helicopters EC-145 helicopter was tasked accompanied by AGA flight crew, AGA specialist flight rescue paramedics and an NSRI ASR rescue swimmer.The helicopter rendezvoused with the vessel 57 nautical miles off-shore of Cape Point.On arrival on the scene an AGA flight rescue paramedic was hoisted onto the ships deck where he assessed the patient who was found to be in a stable condition.The patient was hoisted into the helicopter and in the care of the flight rescue paramedics, assisted by the NSRI ASR rescue swimmer, in a stable condition the patient was airlifted directly to a Cape Town hospital where he is receiving further medical care.NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, NSRI ASR duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, WC Government Health EMS, AGA Helicopters duty controllers, Transnet National Ports Authority and the Port Health Authorities assisted Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre with logistics and coordination of this patient evacuation operation.NSRI commend the close working collaboration between NSRI and AGA Helicopters to successfully carry out airborne sea rescue operations.