Indian Coast Guard carries out mid-sea medical evacuation of critically ill crew member

Kochi [India], August 15 : The Indian Coast Guard carried out a mid-sea medical evacuation of a critically ill crew member aboard a foreign vessel off the Kerala coast amidst extreme weather conditions, a Defence statement said.
The medical evacuation was carried out from ICGS 427. An Advance Light Helicopter was launched from Kochi but due to various constraints onboard ship could not recover the patient.
The ICGS 427 was on standby to recover and on taking permission from the station commander recovered the patient and brought safely to Vizhinjam harbour, the statement said.
The statement further said that further primary medical inspection was carried out by the station medical officer and the patient was handed over to the company agent for further medical treatment at NIMS hospital.
"The Indian coast guard station Vizhinjam received a call from Merchant vessel Evelyn Maersk’s master that one of his crew fell unconscious and his pulse rate is very low," read the Defence statement.
The vessel cast off from Colombo and was going to enter the swiz canal but a medical emergency occurred during the passage.
The Defence PRO also tweeted about the “swiftly coordinated medical evacuation”.
“In a swiftly coordinated Medical Evacuation @IndiaCoastGuard saved a critical #Mariner requiring immediate hospitalisation. Mr. Valid Ola Gilbert, 55 yr old #Filipino had collapsed onboard #MVEvelynMaersk heading to #SuezCanal, 110Nm from #Kochi “The patient was unconscious & retrieved by administering #CPR. Further, ICGS C-427 braving extreme weather conditions successfully conducted the #MEDEVAC, stabilised the patient & rushed him ashore rendering timely medical assistance,” it tweeted.
Earlier, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC), of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued a 55-year-old critically ill crew member from a Liberian flag vessel "MT Torgovy Bridge" from Kavaratti Island, said an official release on Thursday.