Gqeberha – Sunday, 19 July. An emergency maritime medical evacuation operation.

At 17h20 on Friday, 17 July, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following a request for urgent medical assistance from a bulk carrier motor vessel reporting a crewman onboard suffering a medical complaint.

The motor vessel was headed towards Gqeberha and was 35 nautical miles south-southwest of Cape Recife at the time.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) had been alerted by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), who were coordinating a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, in cooperation with EMS Metro Control, to evaluate the patient's condition, in cooperation with the ship's medical crew.

TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth, Port Control and the SA Air Force 15 Squadron Charlie Flight were alerted to determine the availability of an aircraft to carry out the operation.

Our NSRI Gqeberha duty crew and EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics responded to our NSRI Gqeberha rescue base, where the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian was launched, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and 2 EMS rescue paramedics.

Marine VHF radio communications were assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

We rendezvoused with the motor vessel 18 nautical miles South of Cape Recife, in favourable sea conditions of 2 to 3 meter sea swells, where the vessel headed further out to sea, and the Master of the ship manoeuvred the vessel to create a lee for our rescue craft to come alongside.

2 NSRI MEX crew and 1 EMS rescue paramedic were transferred onboard the vessel where the patient, a 59-year-old Indian male, was found to be in a stable condition in the care of his colleagues, the ship's medical crew.

Secured in personal protective gear, the patient was transferred onto our rescue craft, followed by the rescue crew.

In the care of the EMS paramedics, the patient was brought to our NSRI rescue base, and transported to hospital in a stable condition by EMS ambulance, where he is recovering.

The operation was completed at 22h08.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, TNPA Port Health, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, EC Government Health EMS Metro Control, Police Sea Borderline Control and the shipping agents, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of this successful maritime medical emergency evacuation operation.