A National Sea Rescue Institute crew had to divert from a routine training exercise at sea near Witsand‚ a small coastal town at the mouth of the Breede River in the Western Cape‚ on Saturday morning to go to the aid of a fisherman who suffered a suspected heart attack.
The crew was contacted by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for urgent medical assistance for the 56-year-old Mossel Bay fisherman from the fishing vessel Dijaanda‚ 12 nautical miles off-shore of Witsand.
“The Sea Rescue craft Breede Rescuer‚ already 4 nautical miles off-shore of Witsand on routine training‚ diverted to respond. WC Government Health EMS responded to Witsand and local doctor‚ Dr Fourie‚ also came down to Witsand to assist‚” said Theo Erasmus‚ the NSRI Witsand duty coxswain.
“On the NSRI rendezvous with Dijaanda the patient was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and brought to our sea rescue base in Witsand where paramedics and the doctor stabilised the patient who showed signs and symptoms of suffering a suspected heart attack and he has been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition‚” Erasmus added.
Fisherman rescued at sea after suspected heart attack
A National Sea Rescue Institute crew had to divert from a routine training exercise at sea near Witsand‚ a small coastal town at the mouth of the Breede River in the Western Cape‚ on Saturday morning to go to the aid of a fisherman who suffered a suspected heart attack.
The crew was contacted by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for urgent medical assistance for the 56-year-old Mossel Bay fisherman from the fishing vessel Dijaanda‚ 12 nautical miles off-shore of Witsand.
“The Sea Rescue craft Breede Rescuer‚ already 4 nautical miles off-shore of Witsand on routine training‚ diverted to respond. WC Government Health EMS responded to Witsand and local doctor‚ Dr Fourie‚ also came down to Witsand to assist‚” said Theo Erasmus‚ the NSRI Witsand duty coxswain.
“On the NSRI rendezvous with Dijaanda the patient was transferred onto the sea rescue craft and brought to our sea rescue base in Witsand where paramedics and the doctor stabilised the patient who showed signs and symptoms of suffering a suspected heart attack and he has been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition‚” Erasmus added.