Mark Dawson, NSRI Gqeberha station commander, said: At 16h58, Monday, 26 October, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were alerted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) to prepare for a pending maritime medical evacuation operation of a 31 year old Filipino seafarer with a medical complaint on a bulk carrier motor vessel.
MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) alerted NSRI EOC informing that the motor vessel had been instructed to return towards Gqeberha from 150 nautical miles deep sea East of Gqeberha for the medical evacuation operation to be carried out offshore of the Port of Port Elizabeth expected in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
At 05h25, on Tuesday, the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian was launched accompanied by NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic.
We rendezvoused with the motor vessel offshore in Algoa Bay where 2 NSRI MEX crew and the EMS rescue paramedic were transferred onboard.
Medical treatment, in cooperation with the ships medical crew, was provided by the EMS paramedic and the patient, secured into a harness and personal protective gear, was transferred onto our rescue craft followed by the rescue crew.
In the care of the paramedic the patient, in a stable condition, was brought to our rescue base and he was transported to hospital by an EMS ambulance where he is recovering in the care of doctors and nurses.
The operation completed at 07h30.
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, Police Sea Borderline Control, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, EC Government Health EMS, the ships Master and crew and the shipping agent, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the maritime medical evacuation operation.
