A FILIPINO male was rescued by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Durban team after suffering an injury onboard his vessel on Saturday, July 13.

“At approximately 09:00, Saturday, 13 July, NSRI Durban received notification of a pending medical evacuation due to be carried out from a bulk carrier motor vessel that was heading towards Durban from deep sea,” said Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain.

Ireland said that at the time, the motor vessel was about 100 nautical miles from Durban and was due to arrive offshore of the Port of Durban at 21:00.

The man, a 43-year-old Filipino 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 ship’s 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,” said Ireland.

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The NSRI Durban duty rescue crew, the NSRI Durban MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew and a Netcare 911 rescue paramedic assembled at the NSRI Durban Station 5 rescue base at 19:30, launched the NSRI Durban rescue vessel, Alick Rennie, and rendezvoused with the motor vessel four nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban. NSRI MEX technicians and the Netcare 911 rescue paramedic were then transferred onto the motor vessel to assess the casualty.

Ireland said that sea conditions were calm. “Following the medical assessment onboard, it was determined that the casualty would be extricated and 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.”

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“A high-angle technical rope extrication system was established onboard the motor vessel, assisted by the ship’s 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,” said Ireland.

The man is expected to make a full recovery.

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