When a German tourist fell ill on board a cruise liner on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute Airborne Sea Rescue (ASR) unit and the South African Air Force, in collaboration with various other authorities, jumped into action to evacuate him from the vessel and transport him to a medical facility.
Ewald Bonzet, the NSRI ASR duty controller, reported that a 22 Squadron SAAF (SA Air Force) Oryx helicopter accompanied by three NSRI ASR rescue swimmers and a WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, rendezvoused with the ship 20 nautical miles offshore of Cape Agulhas for a medical evacuation of a 72-year old German tourist at 11:38 on Sunday 10 November. The NSRI Agulhas was also placed on alert.
The patient, who was in a serious condition, had been secured by the ship’s medical staff and loaded onto a stretcher before he was hoisted into the helicopter followed by the NSRI ASR rescue swimmer and the EMS rescue paramedic.
Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the NSRI, reported that the patient was airlifted to Ysterplaat Air Force Base from where an ER24 ambulance transported him to hospital in a serious but stable condition. Other services involved in the rescue included the NSRI Agulhas duty controllers, the WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, Police Sea Borderline Control, Transnet National Ports Authority and the shipping agent.
In case of an emergency at sea, call the NSRI national emergency number 087 094 9774, NSRI Agulhas on 082 990 5952, NSRI Hermanus on 082 990 5967 or NSRI Kleinmond on 083 419 4557.
