In the evening hours of Monday, the Sea Rescue South Africa (NSRI) rescued an injured man from the cargo ship ‘UAL Lobito’, while off the Port of Table Bay at anchorage. The injured person was one of two unathorized passengers found on the ship and was reportedly injured from a fall onboard.
Once the fall was noticed, the ship had put to anchor and raised the alarm. NSRI Table Bay launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom accompanied by WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics and rendezvoused with the ship at her anchorage in Table Bay. Meanwhile, the SA Police Services were alerted.
On arrival at the ship, two NSRI rescue swimmers and the two EMS rescue paramedics were put aboard the ship and the injured man was found to be in a barely accessible area of the ship amongst containers and crew of the ship were unable to reach the location.
A technical rescue operation using high angle ropes and equipment commenced and the man, aged 22, suffering a suspected fractured ankle sustained from a fall, was extricated by the rescue crew using a Stokes basket stretcher and high angle ropes and equipment and he was medically cared for by the EMS rescue paramedics.
The second man, aged 18, was in the care of ships crew and was not injured.
Both men, reportedly coming from Tanzania, were transferred onto NSRI sea rescue craft and brought into the Port of Table Bay. The injured patient has been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition and the teenager has been taken into the care of the Sea Borderline Police and an investigation into the incident and the circumstances has been opened by Police.
