Etienne van Zyl, NSRI Durban station commander, said: On Monday, 16 March, NSRI Durban duty controllers were alerted by a ship’s agent to a bulk cargo motor vessel requesting a medical evacuation scheduled for approximately 05h30 on Wednesday morning of a 32 year old male, from the Philippines, suffering an Injury sustained onboard the vessel.
The motor vessel, heading from India to Brazil, was approximately 370 nautical miles offshore from Durban at the time and making best speed towards Durban.
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) were alerted.
Red Line Response ambulance services were alerted and our NSRI Durban crew prepared to meet at the NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base at 05h00 on Wednesday morning.
At 05h15, Wednesday, 18 March, our NSRI Durban rescue craft Spirit of Surfski 6 was launched, accompanied by a Red Line Response rescue paramedic and by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew.
We rendezvoused with the motor vessel 4 nautical miles offshore East of the Port of Durban South breakwater, in 1.6 to 2 meter swells, where the master of the motor vessel used his ship to provide a good lee against the sea swells for us to effect the transfer of crew and the patient.
An NSRI MEX crewmen and the Red Line Response rescue paramedic were transferred onto the motor vessel where, in cooperation with the ships medical crew, the patient was medically assessed by the rescue paramedic.
In a stable condition the patient was secured into safety lines and personal protective gear and he was transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft, followed by the rescue crew.
In the care of the Red Line Response rescue paramedic the patient was brought to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base and he was transported to hospital in a stable condition by Red Line ambulance for further medical care.
The patient is expected to make a full recovery.
The operation completed at 06h55.
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, Red Line Response duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA Port Health, Shipmed medical services, SAPS Sea Borderline Control and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and the coordination of this medical evacuation operation.
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