NSRI completes maritime medevac in rough seas off Algoa Bay

Navigating through 3 to 4 metre swells 8 nautical miles off the Port of Port Elizabeth, NSRI Gqeberha crew carried out a challenging maritime medical evacuation before dawn on Wednesday, 22 July, bringing an injured seafarer safely to hospital.

At 04h15 on Wednesday, 22 July, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following a request for medical assistance from a bulk carrier motor vessel, at the time heading towards Algoa Bay from the south.

Communications between the motor vessel, the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), EC and WC Government Health EMS Metro Control, and an EMS duty doctor, established that a 24-year-old Chinese seafarer had suffered an injury onboard and needed to be evacuated to hospital as soon as possible.

NSRI duty crew and an EMS rescue paramedic responded to the NSRI Gqeberha Station 6 rescue base, where the rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha was launched, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and the EMS paramedic. An EMS ambulance stood by at the rescue base.

The team rendezvoused with the motor vessel in challenging sea conditions, with 3 to 4 metre swells, 8 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay. An NSRI MEX crewman and the EMS paramedic were transferred onto the vessel, and the patient, in a stable condition, was secured into protective gear, a harness and safety lines before being transferred onto the rescue craft, followed by the rescue crew.

In the care of the EMS paramedic, the patient was brought back to the rescue base without incident. In a stable condition, he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance, where he is recovering in the care of doctors and nurses.

The operation was completed at 06h41.

NSRI Gqeberha deputy station commander Simon Williams commended the coordinated response, noting that the NSRI EOC, NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, TNPA Port Health, WC and EC Government Health EMS Metro Control, an EMS duty doctor, Police Sea Borderline Control and the shipping agents all assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of this successful maritime medical evacuation operation.