Justin Erasmus, NSRI Port Elizabeth deputy station commander, said; “At 14h00 on Wednesday 21 November, NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a request for a medical evacuation of a crewman suffering from suspected kidney stones aboard the 333 meter bulk oil carrier SAMCO AMAZON, sailing from Pointe Noire, Angola, to Zhangjing, China, and due to reach waters off-shore of Port Elizabeth during the early evening of Wednesday, 21st November.
“A request was also made by the ships Captain to have a second crewman taken off the ship at the same time as the casualty evacuation, that crewman was departing the ship on personal compassionate grounds not further elaborated on.
“Our NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF TOFT at 19h30 on Wednesday 21 November, and rendezvoused with the ship at approximately 22h00, approximately 25 nautical miles South of Cape Recife, and both the casualty, a 53 year old Filipino man, and the crewman, a 52 year old Filipino man, were taken aboard our sea rescue craft and brought safely to Port arriving at 22h52.
“The casualty evacuation operation was successfully completed without incident.
“The casualty was in a stable condition and both men were handed into the care of their ships agent, Sturrock Shipping, and the casualty was due to be seen by a doctor.”
