Patient evacuation off a motor vessel - Gqeberha

NSRI Gqeberha duty crew, accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft and rendezvoused with a bulk carrier motor vessel

Justin Erasmus, NSRI Gqeberha station commander, said:

At 06h24, Monday, 9 August, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew, accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft and rendezvoused with a bulk carrier motor vessel 8 nautical miles off-shore of the Port of Gqeberha to patient evacuate a seriously injured 23 year old Chinese crewman.

The crewman had reportedly been injured onboard the vessel while the vessel was deep-sea off-shore of Madagascar.

On arrival at the vessel the EMS rescue paramedic and NSRI rescue swimmers were transferred onto the vessel and the patient, secured into a Stokes basket stretcher, was transferred onto the sea rescue craft.

The patient was brought to our sea rescue station and in the care of EMS paramedics he was transported to hospital by ambulance in a serious but stable condition.

NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, Transnet National Ports Authority, Transnet Port Health Authority, Police Sea Borderline Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and EC Government Health EMS assisted Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in logistics and coordination of this patient evacuation operation.