By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Aug 17:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) evacuated an ailing Chinese crew amid challenging weather conditions, from the Chinese Research Vessel “MV Dong Fang Kan Tan No 2”, around 200 Kms in deep mid Arabian near the Union territory of Daman in the pitch dark Wednesday night.
The Chinese vessel was enroute from Port Macun, China to UAE, when the Chinese national reported chest pain and symptoms of cardiac arrest.
On Wednesday evening, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai received message from Yin Weigyang (24), the Master of the Chinese vessel, that one of his crew had symptoms of cardiac attack with high Blood Pressure and required urgent medical attention.
The MRCC immediately established the communication and the patient was provided preliminary telemedicine advice and the Indian Coast Guard Ship “ICGS Samrat” on patrol duty, with medical team onboard was diverted to rush to the scene.
However at around 07:45 PM, the master through their agent requested for an urgent evacuation by air. Considering the gravity of the situation, the ICG ALH MK-III, an indigenous Helicopter manufactured by HAL, operating around 350 kms away from Daman, was moved to Daman at 22:30 PM.
Thereafter post refueling, the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) took off at Wednesday midnight with medical team and headed for vessel which was 200 km away from Daman. Despite night hours, low visibility and challenging sea conditions, the dare devil pilots winched up the Chinese crew by rescue basket at around 0130 AM on Thursday and brought him safely to Daman at around 0255 AM. The ailing Chinese crew was administered medical aid in the aircraft and thereafter he was shifted to “Haria Hospital” at Vapi in Gujarat by an ambulance on landing.
The operation added fillip to the Indian ethos of International Co-operation of Rescue Beyond Borders or Nationalities and “Vasudev Katumbikam” (the World is one) and re-affirmed ICG’s commitment to the motto “We Protect”, the official statement read.