At 01h19, Tuesday, 5 May, NSRI Table Bay duty crew and WC Government Health EMS rescue squad were activated to respond to a medical emergency on a Hong Kong-flagged chemical tanker offshore of Table Bay.
A 36-year-old crewman, from Myanmar, onboard the vessel, was reported to be suffering a medical emergency.
In cooperation with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) and EMS Metro Control, an EMS duty doctor had medically evaluated the patient's condition and deemed it necessary for paramedics to attend to the patient and transport him to hospital as soon as possible.
NSRI Table Bay crew and EMS rescue paramedics responded to the NSRI Table Bay rescue base, where the NSRI rescue craft DHL Deliverer was launched, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and EMS rescue paramedics.
We rendezvoused with the motor vessel 12 nautical miles west of Green Point in 3-meter sea swells.
Communications were supported by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.
On arrival at the vessel, despite unfavourable sea conditions, an NSRI MEX crewman and an EMS rescue paramedic were transferred onto the vessel, where medical treatment was provided to the patient. With extrication equipment (transferred onto the motor vessel), the patient was secured into a Baumann bag and a scoop stretcher.
In a technical high-angle extrication operation, assisted by the ship's crew, the patient was transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft.
In the care of the EMS paramedics, the patient was brought to our NSRI rescue base and transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a serious but stable condition for further medical care.
The operation completed at 06h15.
The swift response and the cooperation of all services and the ship's master and crew are commended.
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Table Bay duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and Metro Rescue Base, an EMS duty doctor, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Table Bay Port Control, TNPA Port Health, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, SA Police Services Sea Borderline Control, the ships master and crew and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the logistics and coordination of this successful medical evacuation operation.
