AMSA successfully conducted the medical evacuation of a seafarer who sustained serious injuries during an on board accident.
Specifically, the vessel was sailing to the Port Hedland and located approximately 1850 km off the WA coast in the Indian Ocean, when the seafarer sustained serious burns.
Thus, AMSA Response Centre coordinated the multi-agency medical evacuation, keeping in mind that burns can be some of the most painful and dangerous of personal injuries that may be inflicted both at work and in domestic situations.
To evacuate the injured seafarer, AMSA used the Tele Medical Advice Service (TMAS) to assess the crew member’s condition and then I was able to task the AMSA Perth Challenger Jet to air drop specific medical supplies to the ship.
AMSA Response Centre Duty Manager James Fryday commented that
Our mission was to ensure the welfare of the injured crew member and to safely coordinate the medical evacuation.
In addition, AMSA requested the help of the Australian Defence Force which tasked the Royal Australian Navy with a planned ship-to-ship medical evacuation. In addition, it is reported that the Royal Australian Navy deployed two senior doctors, a nurse and three other medical staff aboard MV Besant, operated by Serco Australia, to support the medical evacuation.
On Tuesday 17 November 2020, the Navy personnel boarded the vessel and provided medical assistance to the injured seafarer.
Concluding, the vessel arrived into Fremantle on Wednesday 18 November 2020 and the injured seafarer was successfully transferred to hospital for treatment.