NSRI Gqeberha: A maritime medical emergency evacuation operation

NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following reports from TNPA Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control of an urgent request for a medical emergency response

At 04h20, Sunday, 12 July, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following reports from  Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control of an urgent request for a medical emergency response to a 46 year old male Filipino seafarer suffering a medical emergency onboard a bulk carrier motor vessel at anchor offshore in Algoa Bay.
 

Gardmed ambulance services were activated and NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and  Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) were alerted.

NSRI Gqeberha duty crew and a Gardmed rescue paramedic responded to our NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base.

A Gardmed ambulance was dispatched to stand-by at our rescue base.

Accompanied by NSRI Maritime Extrication (MEX) crew and the Gardmed rescue paramedic our rescue craft Bay Guardian was launched and we rendezvoused with the bulk carrier motor vessel at 06h06 in Algoa Bay, 8 nautical miles from the Port of Port Elizabeth.

On arrival at the motor vessel, in challenging conditions with the ship at anchor, two NSRI MEX crew and the Gardmed rescue paramedic were transferred onboard the vessel, accompanied by medical equipment and by maritime extrication equipment.

In cooperation with the ship's medical crew the patient, found to be in a serious condition suffering a medical condition, was stabilised by the paramedic and he was secured into a Stokes basket stretcher.

In a technical high angle operation the patient was transferred onto our rescue craft followed by the rescue crew.

In the care of the Gardmed paramedic the patient was brought safely to our rescue base and in a serious but stable condition he was transported by Gardmed ambulance to hospital where he is being cared for by doctors and nurses.

The medical evacuation operation at sea was completed at 08h52.

The ships crew are commended for their cooperation and assistance during this medical evacuation operation.

NSRI EOC, NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA  of Port Elizabeth Port Control, TNPA Port Health, Gardmed ambulance services control, Police Sea Borderline Control and the shipping agents, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the successful maritime medical emergency evacuation operation.