Watch: Indian Coast Guard Carries Out Mid-Sea Medical Evacuation Of Sailor Amid Challenging Weather Off Kerala Coast

Kochi: The Indian Coast Guard on Monday successfully carried out a risky mid-sea medical evacuation of a sailor, suffering from a suspected stroke and partial paralysis, from a private tanker off the Kerala coast amidst challenging weather conditions using the indigenously built Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III.

The Coast Guard said it received information about the distressed crew member -- Pradeep Das -- on Sunday through the Centro Internazionale Radio Medic (CIRM), Italy. The CIRM had informed that the mariner onboard the Motor Tanker Global Star was suffering from a suspected stroke, high blood pressure and partial paralysis on the left side and required medical evacuation at the earliest, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Subsequently, the Maritime Rescue sub-centre (MRSC) at Kochi was tasked with coordinating the operation and it established communication with the vessel to provide telemedical assistance and plan the evacuation of the distressed mariner.

Rescue operation amid challenging weather

"Understanding the vulnerability of the situation, rough seas, and prevailing weather conditions, Coast Guard ALH was launched on July 24 morning in medical configuration to carry out mid-sea medical evacuation 112 nautical miles in sea from Kochi.

"Amidst challenging weather, rough sea, heavy rain, and poor visibility, the professional pilots of ICG aircraft reached MT Global Star in the shortest possible time and successfully evacuated the distressed mariner," the statement said.

The sailor was medically managed onboard the ALH enroute to Kochi and on arrival at the port city was transferred to the Gautam Hospital for further medical management, it said.

"#SAR In a daring ops amidst challenging weather @IndiaCoastGuard indigenous #ALHsaved another mariners life at sea onboard MT GLOBALSTAR 110Nm fm #Kochi. The rescue ops was coordinated by #MRCCKochi in coordination with CG Air Enclave, #Nedumbassery & #ICGSArnvesh," PRO Defence Kochi tweeted.

The tanker was en route from Khorfakkan in UAE to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and during its journey, the vessel developed a technical snag on July 10 and was anchored 52 miles west of Kozhikode, the statement said. 

(With inputs from PTI)