- A bulk carrier ship master is being treated in a Durban hospital after suffering a traumatic injury reportedly sustained in a fall on board a ship near the Port of Richards Bay.
- NSRI Richards Bay duty coxswain said the sea rescue craft Spirit of Round Table II was launched accompanied by two Netcare 911 rescue paramedics.
- The patient was stabilised onboard and is hospitalized at Durban.
NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) reported the medevac of a Master of bulk carrier at Richards Bay, South Africa, on Feb 13, writes Nikolay Torkin for Maritime Bulletin.
Traumatic injury
Master suffered a traumatic injury in a fall, and was in serious condition. Bulk carrier was approaching Richards Bay and was met by NSRI team at sea, to prepare Master for evacuation. He was disembarked and transferred to ambulance in port.
Bulk carrier is believed to be the vessel Bittern, arriving at Richards Bay from Mombasa Kenya on Feb 13. The ship presently, is berthed at Richards Bay.
Paramedics to the rescue
Jacques Kruger, NSRI Richards Bay duty coxswain, said, “At 11h09, Thursday, 13th February, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for a patient evacuation of the Master of a Bulk Carrier approaching the Port of Richards Bay.”
The sea rescue craft Spirit of Round Table II was launched accompanied by 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics.
He added, “We rendezvoused with the ship off-shore of the Port of Richards Bay and NSRI crew and the rescue paramedics boarded the ship finding the Ships Master suffering a traumatic injury reportedly sustained in a fall and in a serious condition.”
Patient in stable care
An SA Air Force 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter was activated from Durban to assist in the patient evacuation operation before being stood down en route to the scene after TNPA Port Control secured a berthing for the ship to enter Port and berth immediately.
The patient was stabilised onboard the ship by the rescue paramedics while entering the Port. On entering the Port, the patient was transferred from the ship to the Netcare 911 ambulance, secured into a stretcher and he has been transported to hospital in Durban in the care of paramedics in a stable condition.
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Source: Maritime Bulletin
