Medical evacuation for German tourist off cruise liner

At 11h38, Sunday, 10 November, a 22 Squadron SAAF (SA Air Force) Oryx helicopter was prepared for a medical evacuation of a German tourist suffering a medical emergency from a cruise liner off-shore of Cape Agulhas.

NSRI Agulhas was placed on alert.

The Air Force helicopter, accompanied by 3 NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) rescue swimmers and a WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, rendezvoused with the ship 20 nautical offshore of Cape Agulhas.

On arrival at the vessel an NSRI ASR rescue swimmer and the EMS rescue paramedic were hoisted onto the vessel.

The patient had been secured by ships medical staff and after being loaded into a stretcher the patient, in a serious condition, was hoisted into the helicopter followed by the 2 rescue crew.

The patient was airlifted to Ysterplaat Air Force Base where ER24 ambulance services, Life Healthcare response paramedics and Taurus Medical were in attendance.

The patient, age 72, was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a serious but stable condition.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), SAAF (SA Air Force) Command, SAAF Ysterplaat Air Force Base controllers, NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) duty controllers, NSRI Agulhas duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, Police Sea Borderline Control, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Table Bay Port Control and the shipping agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the logistics and coordination of the SAAF helicopter medical evacuation operation.