Representative Picture of Indian Coast Guard vessel.
Mumbai: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully conducted a medical evacuation of a Chinese national from a Panama-flagged research vessel, MV Dong Fang Kan Tan No 2, around 200 kilometres off the Mumbai coast in the Arabian Sea on the intervening night of August 16-17, 2023.
The evacuation was carried out amidst challenging weather conditions and dark night.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received information that one of the crew, named Yin Weigyang, onboard the research vessel had a cardiac attack and required urgent medical attention. Communication was established immediately with the vessel which was en route from China to the United Arab Emirates and provided necessary telemedicine advice.
Considering the best feasible options for speedy evacuation and subsequent medical management, the patient was airlifted by CG ALH MK-III and was administered first aid. He was later transferred to the agent of the vessel for further medical management.
The swift operation undertaken by CG ALH and CGAS Daman during the dark hours enabled the saving of the precious life of a foreign national at sea, reaffirming the Indian Coast Guard’s commitments to the motto “We Protect”, the Ministry of Defence said today.
Earlier on August 13, 2023, too, the ICG successfully coordinated the Medical Evacuation of a critical Mariner Valid Ola Gilbert, a Filipino citizen (Age 55 years) from MV Evelyn Maersk by Indian Coast Guard Ship C-427 ex-Vizhinjam. The vessel was en route from Colombo to Suez Canal 55 NM East of Vizhinjam, Kerala.
On August 13 the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai received information through Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC)Denmark that one of the crew onboard MV Evelyn Maersk had a cardiac attack and required medical evacuation at the earliest.
The Vessel was contacted, provided with telemedical assistance and planned the evacuation of a distressed mariner. ICGS C-427 was sailed from Vizhinjam, understanding the vulnerability of the situation and persisting rough seas, CG ALH was launched in medical configuration to carry out mid-sea medical evacuation 110 NM in the sea from Kochi, Kerala.
ICG aircraft reached MV Evelyn Maersk and safe recovery of the patient was not feasible as the patient was not able to be shifted to a suitable spot onboard. ICG ALH could not embark on the patient in view of extreme weather conditions, and alternatively, ICGS C-427 in the area, braving the extreme sea conditions, evacuated the patient onboard ship and proceeded with maximum speed for Vizhinjam Harbour. Post embarkation, the ICG team stabilised the patient en route to Vizhinjam Harbour with portable oxygen support and medical aid. On arrival at Vizhinjam Harbour, the patient was rushed to NIMS Hospital, Neyyattinkara for further medical management.
The Exemplary daring medical evacuation undertaken by Indian Coast Guard enabled the saving of yet another precious life at sea.
– global bihari bureau
