Durban North pilot in dramatic high sea rescue
A 59-year-old man had to be airlifted to safety after going into cardiac arrest.
A DURBAN North helicopter pilot has shared his story of how he, members of the NSRI Air Sea Rescue team as well as Netcare 911 paramedics, helped rescue a 59-year-old Filipino man suffering from a minor heart attack from a bulk carrier, 20 kilometres off Durban’s shore. A distress call was made at about 3.30pm on Friday to the Maritime Rescue Co Ordination Centre (MRCC) and the NSRI Air Sea Rescue team.
Graham Chisholm of Danville Avenue piloted a A15 Squadron Oryx helicopter and landed on the ship to rescue the foreign national from the carrier MV Skelt. The man who is the ship’s chief cook was treated for a myocardial infarction (heart attack) by the ship’s crew with advice from a local doctor. It was decided to wait for the MV Skelt to get closer to Durban before sending a rescue team to casualty evacuate him.
“The wind was quite strong and the swell was quite high so it was difficult landing on the vessel. The ship did have a helicopter pad and the Oryx just about fitted on the pad. The whole rescue took about 30 minutes to complete. I’ve been with the South African Defence Force since 1976 and I’ve been involved in a few rescues like this. It’s always special being part of rescues like this. We had guys from Netcare 911 who were also instrumental in getting the patient safely to shore.
“We landed on the 180 metre ship approximately 20 nautical miles off Durban. The man was carried onto the helicopter and flown to Saint Augustine’s hospital, landing at 5.20pm. He has since been transferred to Life Entabeni Hospital hospital in a stable condition.” he said.
What’s more the rescue occurred a month before Chisholm is due to retire.
