A Maritime Medical Evacuation

3 July, NSRI Durban duty crew and Netcare 911 ambulance services were activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) following a request from MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to evacuate a 25 year old male Filipino seafarer with a medical complaint from a bulk carrier motor vessel 18 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban.

The vessel had diverted from deep sea at the request of MRCC after a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor evaluated the patients condition and deemed it necessary for the patient to be transported to a hospital as soon as possible.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, the SA Police Services Sea Borderline Control, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and Netcare 911 duty controllers, in cooperation with the ships agent, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the maritime medical evacuation operation.

The NSRI Durban craft Alec Rennie was launched and w e rendezvoused with the motor vessel in favourable sea conditions.

NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew were transferred onto the vessel where the patient, in a stable condition, was assisted to be transferred onto our rescue craft.

The patient was brought to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base and transported to hospital in a stable condition by Netcare 911 ambulance.

The operation completed at 02h38.