South Africa’s NSRI assists sick passenger from containership

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Table Bay and the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, both of South Africa were activated by the Transnet Ports Authority to  evacuate 73 year old Hugo Kloser, from Switzerland, suffering breathing difficulties aboard the Container ship DAL KALAHARI (50.736-gt, built 2005) at anchor in Table Bay.
Pat van Eyssen, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said the ship was due to dock in the Port of Table Bay later in the day and had sailed from a European Port.
He said a Titan helicopter was to perform the casualty evacuation with NSRI rescue swimmers and a Metro rescue paramedic but a thick fog hanging over Table Bay had prevented the helicopter operation and NSRI Table Bay’s rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom was tasked.
A Metro rescue paramedic accompanied the operation and a Metro ambulance was summoned to stand-by at the NSRI Table Bay rescue base.
On arrival on-scene the Metro rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescuer were transferred aboard the ship and the patient was stabilised and lowered onto the rescue craft using the ships crane and secured into a Stokes Basket Stretcher.
The patient, in a stable condition, was brought to the NSRI Table Bay rescue base and transported to the Vincent Palotti hospital by a Metro ambulance.
The patient’s wife remained aboard the ship and joined her husband once the ship docked.
It is believed that they are passengers aboard the ship.
DAL Kalahari is one of the few cargo ships remaining on the South Africa service that still carries passengers.
Shelly Beach (KZN), 24 January – At 09h24 NSRI Shelly Beach volunteers launched their rescue craft Caltex Endeavor to assist the crew aboard the ski-boat Deep Blue Pirate experiencing motor failure on one of her two outboard motors and requiring assistance to get ashore through the breaker line.
Mark Harlen, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said that the skipper of the boat can be commended for calling the NSRI to assist and his actions are considered as the safest option and the right thing to do under the circumstances that were faced.