WATCH: Patient evacuation off a ship

On Wednesday morning, 31 May, NSRI Table Bay duty crew launched the NSRI Table Bay rescue craft Rescue 3, accompanied by 2 WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics, to rendezvous at first light with a bulk carrier motor vessel, approximately 7 nautical miles off-shore West of Green Point, to patient evacuate a 60 year old Indonesian ships crewman suffering a medical complaint.

Marc de Vos, NSRI Table Bay duty coxswain, said:

NSRI Table Bay and EMS Metro Control had been alerted at 20h58 on Tuesday to prepare for the operation. The motor vessel that had been diverted from deep sea to head towards Cape Town.

The patient was reported to be in a serious condition.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Table Bay duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority), Police Sea Borderline Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, EMS Metro Control, Netcare 911 ambulance services, an EMS duty doctor and the ship agent assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the coordination and logistics of the medical evacuation operation.

In rough seas with a 3 meter swell the motor vessel was used to provide a lee to the NSRI rescue craft for drafting alongside the motor vessel - to aid in rescue crew boarding the vessel and for the extrication of the patient.

During the operation the distance from Green Point reached up to 12 nautical miles out to sea.

2 NSRI rescue crew were transferred onboard the vessel. The patient, in the care of the ships medical crew and the 2 NSRI rescue crew, in a serious condition, was secured into a Stokes basket stretcher and transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft in a technical operation.

In the care of the EMS rescue paramedics he was brought to the Robben Island Gateway Jetty.

The patient was transferred into a Netcare 911 ambulance and transported to hospital where he remains in a serious condition in the care of hospital staff.

All involved are commended for the swift emergency evacuation operation.