St Francis Bay volunteer duty crew this evening, 1 July,  evacuated an injured  fisherman from a chokka boat. 

The 33 year old chokka fisherman,  Alwyn Kettledas from Humansdorp, bleeding profusely from a head wound, was brought ashore in the NSRI sea rescue craft and transferred by ambulance to hospital.

According to Marc May, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, the sea rescue duty crew were activated  at  5 pm, following a request for medical assistance from the chokka fishing boat Sea Cat, which reported a fisherman on board bleeding profusely from a head wound.

 “Our NSRI St Francis Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Eikos Rescuer I and responded in 4 to 5 metre rough sea swells and a 10 knot southerly wind in rain and dense fog conditions with limited visibility.”

 The crew met up with Sea Cat 15 nautical miles West of St Francis Bay. On arrival the crew found Kettledas suffering a severe head laceration, believed to be a recent wound that re-opened (from unknown causes), and bleeding heavily, May said.

 “Our NSRI medics treated the patient who was then transferred onto our sea rescue craft and we brought him to our sea rescue station at St Francis Bay. We were met by EC Government Health EMS paramedics and he was transported to hospital by an EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further treatment. The rescue operation was completed by 6.30 pm,” May added.

(edited)

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