Members of the National Sea Rescue Institute at St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape had to assist with the evacuation of two ill fishermen from chokka fishing vessels on Saturday.

In the first incident‚ at about 7.30am on Saturday‚ a 41-year-old Humansdorp fisherman reported to be suffering from hemoptysis (coughing up blood) had to be evacuated from the chokka fishing boat Jika.

“On arrival on the scene‚ off-shore of Mosterts Hoek‚ the patient was taken aboard our sea rescue craft and brought to the Port of St Francis in a stable condition and he has been transported to hospital by Private Care ambulance for further treatment‚” said NSRI station commander Sarah Smith.

On Saturday evening‚ the NSRI crew had to rendezvous with the chokka fishing boat Silver Dorado three nautical miles off-shore of St Francis Bay to evacuate a 41-year-old Port Elizabeth fisherman suffering seizures. “On arrival on the scene we transferred the patient onto our sea rescue craft and brought him to our sea rescue base where our NSRI paramedic treated the man for dehydration and hyperglycaemia and he has been transported to hospital by Private care ambulance in a stable condition‚” Smith said.