Justin Erasmus, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander, said; “At 07h00 on Wednesday 25 April, NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft to rendezvous with the bulk carrier ship Titan Condor at anchor off the Port of Port Elizabeth breakwater to casualty evacuate a 48 year old Filipino sailor suffering back ache.
“Our sea rescue station was placed on alert two days ago when the medical complaint was communicated to South African Maritime Authorities as the ship sailed towards Port Elizabeth and while arrangements were made with a local hospital to receive the patient.
“It appears that the back ache that the patient is experiencing is a recurrent injury.
“We rendezvoused with the ship and paramedics stabilized the patient who was then secured to a back-board and immobilized, transferred onto our sea rescue craft and brought ashore in a stable condition.
“The patient has been transported to hospital by a Guardmed ambulance services ambulance”.
