A Malaysian sailor was evacuated from a crude oil tanker off Durban's coast on Sunday after falling ill aboard the vessel.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Durban station commander Jonathan Kellerman said the 34-year-old crewman had suffered a medical complaint, that was not Covid-19 related.

The team received a report about the ailing sailor on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning a NSRI team, accompanied by paramedics, was dispatched to the vessel, which was three nautical miles from the port.

“Observing all department of health Covid-19 regulations during this operation, two paramedics were transferred to the ship and took over care of the patient from the ship's medical crew.

“The patient, in a stable condition, was secured into a Stokes basket stretcher and a technical rope system was constructed for the patient to be transferred from the ship to the sea rescue craft.

“The two rescue paramedics were then transferred from the ship to the sea rescue craft and the patient, in the care of the rescue paramedics, was brought to our NSRI Durban station,” said Kellerman.

The sailor was taken to hospital for further treatment.

Three weeks ago a Filipino sailor was evacuated by a rescue team from a ship off Durban after falling ill. 

In the same week a team airlifted a British tourist off the luxury cruise liner Queen Mary 2, after he fell ill aboard the ship.

Neither of these cases were Covid-19 related.