arly this morning NSRI Jeffreys Bay assisted in transporting a critically ill fisherman on board a boat offshore and taking him to St Francis Bay’s private port.
The 37 year-old Port Elizabeth fisherman was suffering chest pains from a suspected heart attack .
He was transported from the fishing boat, Umfana, and taken to the port, from where he was taken to hospital. NSRI St Francis Bay’s medical crew and an ambulance was on stand-by at the port.
Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, said on 22nd June, NSRI Jeffreys Bay volunteer duty crew were activated at 2.45 am following a request for support from NSRI St Francis Bay to assist.
Umfana was heading towards the port and although expected to reach it in good time, NSRI Jeffreys Bay planned to attempt to meet the boat at sea to render medical assistance. The Sea Rescue craft Eddie Beaumont II was launched at Jeffreys Bay and Umfana and NSRI Jeffreys Bay arrived at the Port of St Francis at the same time.
Riegaard added that the hospital later confirmed that the patient is in a satisfactory condition and remains in hospital awaiting medical tests results.
(Edited by Bev Mortimer)
St Francis Chronicle 