NSRI Agulhas – A maritime medical evacuation operation:

At 08h01, Monday, 10 August, NSRI Agulhas duty crew were placed on alert to prepare for a maritime medical evacuation operation and crew transfer, later in the day, from a local fishing vessel

NSRI Agulhas assists in medical evacuation of fishing vessel crewman off Struisbaai

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Agulhas duty crew were placed on alert at 08h01 on Monday, 10 August, to prepare for a maritime medical evacuation and crew transfer operation later that day.

The alert followed a report from a local fishing vessel, described as being in deep sea and heading towards Struisbaai, that an adult male crewman aboard her was suffering a medical injury. The patient was reported to be in a stable condition but needed to be taken off the vessel and seen to at a hospital.

Arrangements were made with the local fishing company to transfer relief crew during the operation.

At 13h30, the duty crew gathered at the NSRI Agulhas rescue base, where they were joined by the fishing company's relief crew and an NSRI Maritime Extrication (MEX) crew member. The rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas was launched at 15h00 and made her way to rendezvous with the fishing vessel offshore of Struisbaai in fair sea conditions.

An NSRI MEX crewman transferred onto the fishing trawler, while the patient, who was walking wounded, was transferred onto Spirit of Agulhas accompanied by a fellow crewman. Two relief crew members were transferred onto the fishing vessel without incident.

The patient was brought safely to the NSRI rescue base, where he and his fellow crewman were collected by the fishing company's shore crew. He will be seen to at a hospital in Cape Town.

The operation was completed at 16h39.

NSRI commended the cooperation of the local fishing company, and the Master and crew of the vessel, during the medical operation.