-Edited –A 73 year-old fisherman on boat off Herrmanus was evacuated by NSRI on Sunday to receive medical help on shore but he sadly passed before the volunteer NSRI duty team reached the boat.
The NSRI says the man was suffering from medical complain and NSRI received the alert at 4 am, 15 October, about the man on a boat in deep between Agulhas and Hermanus. NSRI EOC, NSRI Agulhas duty controllers, NSRI Hermanus duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS duty doctor assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the coordination of a rescue operation. Marine VHF radio communications were assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.
The fishing boat travelled towards Hermanus where a medical evacuation operation was being prepared in cooperation with MRCC. The EMS rescue paramedics were transported to the fishing boat on the NSRI Hermanus rescue craft, The Legacy. On arrival EMS paramedics declared the Mossel Bay man had passed on from his medical condition.
NSRI Hermanus ferried two SAPS detectives to the boat. The body was moved by the police and the NSRI onto the NSRI rescue boat and he was brought to Hermanus and taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
The NSRI conveyed condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased fisherman.
