On September 20, two sailors who were rescued from a sea vessel reportedly died due to suspected case of malaria.
What happened?
Two sailors, a Panamanian and a Filipino both aged 53 years were reported to be unconscious and suffering from malaria. The Government Health EMS duty doctor after assessing the health condition of both sailors requested them to be evacuated from the vessel ‘Agios Fanourios’ at the earliest.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) from East London were alerted about the situation by Transnet National Ports Authority. The sailors were airlifted and taken to St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban but unfortunately passed away in the hospital without responding to treatment.
Airborne rescue:
Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson said, “The distance and time constraints ruled out a ship to sea rescue craft rescue operation and the NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) were alerted to coordinate an airborne sea rescue operation and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) scrambled an SA Air Force (SAAF) 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter. At 8.30pm a SAAF 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter accompanied by our NSRI Durban ASR rescue swimmers and with Netcare 911 rescue paramedics were airborne from Durban”.
He further added, “Our NSRI rescue swimmers and the Netcare 911 rescue paramedics were hoisted onto the ship from the helicopter and we found the two male sailors in the care of the ships medics, one in a serious condition, and one in a critical condition. Both men were stabilised, prepared, secured and then hoisted into the helicopter. The Filipino patients heart failed once he was in the helicopter and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were commenced by the Netcare 911 rescue paramedics assisted by the NSRI crew and a heartbeat was restored”.
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Source: IOL
