A 21-year-old American man was quickly attended to on Sunday after suffering a medical emergency aboard a research cruise liner off Richards Bay.

The coordinated rescue operation – supported by a number of stakeholders – unfolded eight nautical miles offshore of the Port of Richards Bay.

Norman Rautenbach, station commander of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Richards Bay Station 19, said duty crew were alerted at 1.37pm by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to prepare for a medical evacuation.

The NSRI rescue craft Ocean Guardian was launched, carrying a MedCare24 paramedic and members of the NSRI Maritime Extrication (MEX) team.

An NSRI MEX crewman was transferred onto the cruise ship, where the patient was secured in personal protective gear and safety lines before being carefully transferred onto the rescue craft.

“In the care of the ship’s doctor and the MedCare24 paramedic, NSRI brought the patient to the NSRI Station 19 rescue base without incident. The patient, in a stable condition, was then transported to hospital by MedCare24 ambulance, accompanied by the ship’s doctor,” said Rautenbach.

The complex operation lasted just over three hours, and the patient is expected to make a full recovery.

Rautenbach commended the extensive multi-agency coordination that ensured the mission’s success.

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