NSRI Durban Rescues Injured Crewman at Sea

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said: At 08h30, Wednesday, 20 August, NSRI Durban duty crew and Red Line Response ambulance services were placed on alert by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to prepare for a medical evacuation operation of a 41 year old Chinese male seafarer who had suffered a serious injury on a 189 meter motor vessel bulk carrier that was, at the time, headed towards Durban from deep sea.

Initial reports suggested that the vessels time of arrival offshore of the Port of Durban would be at around 15h00 on Thursday 21 August.

During Thursday, NSRI Durban were notified that due to sea conditions the vessel had reduced speed and was expected only at around 23h00 on Thursday night.

NSRI Durban duty controllers in cooperation with NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority Port of Durban Port Control, MRCC, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and a Metro EMS duty doctor, were monitoring the weather forecast closely and with strong winds forecast for Thursday night and based on the non-life threatening nature of the injuries of the patient, in the good care of the ships medical crew, it was decided to carry out the medical evacuation operation at first light on Friday morning.

On Friday morning, 22 August, at 05h45, the NSRI Durban rescue craft Alick Rennie, accompanied by a Red Line Response rescue paramedic, was launched to rendezvous with the motor vessel 3 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban.

Our NSRI rescue craft Alick Rennie proceeded out to sea and made way towards the casualty vessel where on arrival on the scene in calm sea conditions the casualty vessel was able to create a lee for the MEX (Maritime Extrication) transfer to take place.

In half a meter sea swells our rescue craft Alick Rennie was brought alongside the motor vessel at 06h20 where two NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) high angle technicians and a Red Line rescue paramedic were transferred onto the vessel.

The Red Line Response rescue paramedic assessed the patient, in cooperation with the ships medical crew, and being in a stable condition it was determined that he could be disembarked via the pilot ladder.

The patient was secured into a life-jacket, a safety harness and safety lines and he was successfully transferred onto our rescue craft, assisted by the ships crew, our MEX crew and our crew on the rescue craft, without incident.

In the care of the Red Line Response rescue paramedic the patient was brought safely to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base and from there he was transported to hospital by Red Line Response ambulance in a stable condition for further medical care.

The patient is expected to make a full recovery.

NSRI Durban duty controllers, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operation Centre), Telkom Maritime Radio Services, a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, EMS Metro Control, Red Line Response duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, the TNPA Port Health authority, TNPA Customs authority and Police Sea Borderline Control, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the successful medical evacuation operation.

The ships master and crew are commended for assisting in the safe transfer of rescue crew on and off their motor vessel.

The medical evacuation operation completed at 08h30.