Medical Evacuation: NSRI Durban Assists Ill Seafarer Off Oil Tanker Near Port of Durban

Johann van Deventer, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said: At 07h23, Friday, 10 October, our NSRI Durban duty controller and NSRI Durban duty crew were alerted to prepare for a medical evacuation operation expected to take place in the early hours of Saturday morning, for a 26 year old Indian male seafarer, suffering a medical complaint on an oil tanker motor vessel, approaching Durban from deep sea.

Red Line Response ambulance services were alerted.

With NSRI Durban duty controllers receiving confirmation from MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Center), following communications from a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, that the patient was reported to be in a stable condition, the medical evacuation operation was delayed and arranged to take place at first light on Saturday morning, 11, October.

At 05h15, on Saturday morning, the NSRI Durban rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched accompanied by a Red Line Response rescue paramedic and by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew.

We rendezvoused with the motor vessel offshore 3 nautical miles East of the Port of Durban South breakwater.

An NSRI MEX crewman was transferred onto the motor vessel where, assisted by the ships crew, secured into safety lines and personal protective equipment, the patient was transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft and he was taken into the care of the Red Line Response rescue paramedic.

The patient was brought to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base and transported to hospital, by Red Line Response ambulance, in a stable condition, for further medical care. He is recovering.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, Red Line Response duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS and an EMS duty doctor, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA Port Health, SAPS Sea Borderline Control and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and the coordination of this medical evacuation operation.

The medical evacuation operation was completed at 08h32.