NSRI St Francis Bay – A maritime medical evacuation operation

NSRI St Francis Bay and Jeffreys Bay crews assist in medical evacuation from fishing trawler

At 14h00 on Thursday, 13 August, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew and crew from NSRI Jeffreys Bay were alerted to prepare for a maritime medical evacuation operation, following a request for medical assistance from a local fishing trawler heading towards St Francis Bay from deep sea. The vessel was expected to be offshore of St Francis Bay by 18h00.

An adult Russian man on board the fishing trawler had suffered a medical condition and required transfer to hospital.

At 17h00, NSRI St Francis Bay crew, crew from NSRI Jeffreys Bay, and Rescue Care ambulance services responded to the NSRI St Francis Bay station 21 rescue base, where the rescue craft Spirit of St Francis III was launched at 17h30, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and two Rescue Care EMS paramedics.

The crew rendezvoused with the fishing trawler offshore of St Francis Bay, where NSRI MEX crew and Rescue Care EMS paramedics were transferred onto the vessel.

The patient, in a stable condition and walking wounded, was transferred onto the rescue craft and, in the care of the Rescue Care EMS paramedics, was brought to the rescue base without incident.

The patient was transported to hospital by Relay EMS ambulance in a stable condition. In the care of doctors and nurses, he is expected to make a full recovery.

The operation was completed at 18h25.

NSRI commended the cooperation of the local fishing trawler and her crew during this successful maritime medical evacuation operation.