70-Year-Old American Medically Evacuated by NSRI Richards Bay

Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said: At 17h11, Sunday, 3 August, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated to respond to a medical evacuation of an American male seafarer suffering a medical condition onboard a Ro-Ro motor vessel.

The motor vessel had turned around and was heading towards Richards Bay at the time.

The NSRI rescue craft Ocean Guardian was launched, accompanied by an NSRI crew rescue paramedic, from KZN Government Health EMS, and NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew.

We rendezvoused with the vessel 2 nautical miles South East of Richards Bay, at anchorage, where the American motor vessel provided a lee to assist in the operation against gusting to 30 knots South Easterly winds in 3 to 4 meter sea swells.

Our NSRI rescue paramedic was transferred onboard the motor vessel and medically evaluated the patient, a 70 year old American man, and he was transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft secured into a harness and safety lines, using high angle extrication equipment, followed by the rescue paramedic.

Netcare 911 ambulance services were activated to stand by at our NSRI Richards Bay station 19 rescue base.

In the care of the rescue paramedic, in a serious but stable condition, the patient was brought safely to our NSRI rescue base and transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance for further medical care.

The operation was completed at 21h00.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Richards Bay duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS and an EMS duty doctor, KZN Government Health EMS, Netcare 911 ambulance services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Richards Bay Port Control, the Port Health Authority, Police Sea Bordeline Control, the ship agent and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the medical evacuation operation.