Simon Williams, NSRI Gqeberha deputy station commander, said: At 04h15, Wednesday, 22 July, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following a request for medical assistance from a bulk carrier motor vessel, at the time heading towards Algoa Bay from the South.
Communications, in cooperation with the motor vessel, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), EC Government Health EMS Metro Control, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, indicated a 24 year old Chinese male seafarer had suffered an injury onboard the ship and required to be evacuated to hospital as soon as possible.
Our NSRI duty crew and an EMS rescue paramedic responded to our NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha was launched, accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and the EMS rescue paramedic.
An EMS ambulance stood by at our rescue base.
We rendezvoused with the motor vessel, in challenging sea conditions with 3 to 4 meter sea swells, 8 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Port Elizabeth, in Algoa Bay, where an NSRI MEX crewman and the EMS rescue paramedic were transferred onboard the vessel and the patient, in a stable condition, was transferred onto our rescue craft, secured into personal protective gear, a harness and safety lines, followed by the rescue crew.
In the care of the EMS paramedic the patient was brought to our rescue base without incident and in a stable condition he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance where he is recovering in the care of doctors and nurses.
The operation was completed at 06h41.
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, TNPA Port Health, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, EC Government Health EMS Metro Control, Police Sea Borderline Control and the shipping agents, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of this successful maritime medical evacuation operation.
