An ordinary voyage turned into a medical emergency that required a complex overnight rescue operation by the National Sea Rescue Intitute (NSRI) and ER24 paramedics, the unsung heroes of the sea.

A critically ill crew member was rescued from a container ship off the coast near Cape Agulhas in a challenging medical operation on Tuesday. The operation was completed at 04:43 while the vessel was at sea. The patient was transferred to a hospital in Cape Town, where he is recovering under medical care.

The ship’s agents contacted NSRI Hermanus who were joined by ER24, before launching a rescue boat to meet the ship in Walker Bay, about 18,5km offshore from Hermanus.

“Communications with the ship’s crew and with the ship’s medical crew were assisted by a ships language translator onboard the vessel,” read an official statement by the NSRI on their official website.

Upon reaching the vessel, the ship was manoeuvred to create safer conditions for the rescue. Two NSRI rescue specialists and an ER24 paramedic climbed aboard using a pilot ladder. Once on the ship, they worked with the vessel’s medical team to stabilise the patient.

After the patient was treated and his condition improved enough for transport, rescuers used specialised rope and stretcher equipment to carefully lower him from the ship onto the rescue boat. He was then brought ashore to the NSRI base in Hermanus and taken by ambulance to hospital.

“NSRI has commended the Master of the ship and his crew for their cooperation and their assistance during this urgent emergency technical medical evacuation operation as well as our NSRI Hermanus crew and the ER24 rescue paramedics,” the statement read.

After the evacuation, the cargo ship continued its voyage.