A sailor who lost part of a finger in an on board accident has been evacuated from a ship off Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape, the National Sea Rescue Instutute (NSRI) said on Sunday.
NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were alerted at 8.45pm on Saturday following a request for medical assistance from the bulk carrier Yasa Falcon, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said.
The vessel reported a 49-year-old Turkish crewman on board had suffered partial amputation of his ring finger “during normal ship working operationsâ€.
The ship’s medics had treated the injury and sought additional medical advice from their ship’s company doctor. The request was made for the patient to be taken to the nearest port and to hospital for further treatment.
The sea rescue craft Rescue 15 was launched at 11pm, accompanied by an ER24 rescue paramedic, and rendezvoused with Yasa Falcon four nautical miles off-shore.
“The injured sailor, accompanied by a crewmate, was found to be in a stable condition, (walking wounded), and he was taken aboard the sea rescue craft and brought into Mossel Bay harbour and he has been transported to hospital by an ER24 ambulance for further treatment. Only the tip of the right ring finger sustained amputation,†Lambinon said.
– African News Agency (ANA)
