NSRI Durban conducts offshore medical evacuation and assists disabled ski-boat

Etienne van Zyl, NSRI Durban station commander, said: On Friday, 19 December, at 17h30, NSRI Durban duty controllers were alerted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) to a request, in cooperation with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), for a medical evacuation of a ill seafarer onboard a crude oil tanker motor vessel.

The motor vessel, en route from China to Brazil, was heading towards Durban from approximately 420 nautical miles offshore and the ship's crew were coordinating with MRCC while an EMS duty doctor was monitoring the patient's condition, in cooperation with the ships medical crew, in communications.

On Saturday afternoon, 20 December, the NSRI rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched, accompanied by a Red Line Response rescue paramedic and by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew, and rendezvous with the motor vessel approximately 4 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban

An NSRI MEX crewman and a rescue paramedic from Red Line Response were transferred onto the motor vessel and in cooperation with the ships medical crew attended to the 22-year-old Indian male seafarer suffering from a medical complaint.

The patient was secured into a rescue harness, safety lines and safety gear, and he was safely transferred, via the vessel’s pilot ladder, onto our NSRI rescue craft without incident.

In the care of the rescue paramedic the patient was brought to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base, and he was transported to hospital by Red Line Response ambulance in a stable condition for further medical care.

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 operation was completed at 19h00.

On Saturday, 20 December at 14h44, NSRI Durban duty controllers were notified by the safety officer of the Durban ski-boat club of a small skivee boat experiencing motor mechanical failure approximately 3 nautical miles offshore of Durban.

Our NSRI crew launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski 6 and responded to the incident.

On arrival on scene, a local ski-boat, “1 More”, were already on the scene assisting and they had established a towline, and they were making way towards the shore.

Our NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski 6 took over the towline and safely towed the skivee, with 2 local men onboard, to shore where NSRI Durban shore crew assisted with beaching the vessel and recovering the boat onto her trailer.

Both persons onboard were in good spirits, no injuries were reported, and no further assistance was required.

The skipper and crew of the local boat "1 More" are commended for their assistance.