INDIA. Mumbai: A 37-Year-old Philipino crew suffering from acute appendicitis from Barge “Saipem Endevaour” (Flag – Panama), located at a distance of 55 nautical miles off Mumbai, was safely evacuated from the Arabian Sea in a joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy on July 15, Saturday.
The barge was on a voyage from Dubai to Colombo and passed at a distance of 154 nautical miles from Mumbai in the Arabian Sea. The doctor onboard assessed that the patient required immediate surgery at a hospital to prevent severe complications.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the Indian Coast Guard received a request from the ship’s agent-M/s Benline Agencies, Mumbai, for medical evacuation. The message was passed on by MRCC to the Indian Navy for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) since the individual on board was experiencing acute appendicitis and required immediate evacuation.
The ship, which was being towed, was last located 55 nautical miles (NM) Southwest of the Indian Naval Ship INS Shikra. Soon, a joint Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard MEDEVAC involving a Seaking helicopter from INS Shikra and ICGS Samrat was launched.
The Seaking was launched at 0900 am in adverse weather conditions, low visibility and a low cloud base. Despite the ship rolling excessively and experiencing significant turbulence, the helicopter safely landed onboard the ship and embarked the patient.
The aircraft returned to INS Shikra at about 1000 am with the patient, who was administered initial medical treatment at INS Shikra and thereafter transferred to Indian Naval Hospital Ship Asvini located at Colaba in South Mumbai for further treatment. Subsequently, the patient was handed over to the shipping agent for further medical management ashore in Mumbai city.
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