Injured seafarer medically evacuated off ship

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said: At approximately 09h00, Saturday, 13 July, NSRI Durban received notification of a pending medical evacuation due to be carried out from a bulk carrier motor vessel that heading towards Durban from deep sea.

At that time the motor vessel was about 100 nautical miles from Durban and due to arrive offshore of the Port of Durban at 21h00.
The man, a 43 year old Filipno male, was reported to be suffering an injury sustained onboard the vessel.

A WC Government Health EMS duty doctor had evaluated the injury, in communications with the ships medical crew, and it was deemed necessary to medically evacuate the patient off the ship to be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.

Our NSRI Durban duty rescue crew, NSRI Durban MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and a Netcare 911 rescue paramedic assembled at our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base at 19h30 and we launched the NSRI Durban rescue vessel Alick Rennie at 20h13 and rendezvoused with the motor vessel approximate 4 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban.

NSRI MEX technicians and the Netcare 911 rescue paramedic were transferred onto the motor vessel to assess the casualty.

Sea conditions were calm.

VHF marine communications were assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

Following the medical assessment onboard it was determined that the casualty would be extricated secured into a Stokes basket stretcher, as he was unable to walk on his own due to his injury. He was in a serious but stable condition but in good care.

A high angle technical rope extrication system was established onboard the motor vessel, assisted by the ships crew, and the casualty was safely hoisted, secured into the Stokes basket stretcher, onto the deck of the Alick Rennie and into the care of our NSRI deck rescue crew.

In the care of the Netcare 911 rescue paramedic, assisted by our NSRI medics, the patient was brought safely to our NSRI rescue base and he was transported to hospital by a Netcare 911 ambulance. He remained in a serious but stable condition.

The man is expected to make a full recovery.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, the SA Police Services – SAPS Sea Borderline Control, Netcare 911 duty controllers, TNPA Port of Durban Health authorities, WC Government Health EMS, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the logistics and the coordination of this medical evacuation operation.

The operation concluded at 21h56