NEW DELHI: Acting in the nick of time, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel evacuated a Chinese national who needed urgent medical attention from a vessel around 200 km into the Arabian Sea on Wednesday.
The ICG in a statement said, "In a daring operation amidst challenging weather conditions at night, the Indian Coast Guard safely evacuated a Chinese national from the Panama-flagged research vessel MV Dong Fang Kan Tan No 2."
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received information that Yin Weigyang, one of the crew on board the vessel, reported chest pain and symptoms of cardiac arrest. The vessel was en route from China to the UAE.
Communication was established immediately with the vessel and necessary telemedicine advice provided, said the ICG.
"Considering best feasible options for speedy evacuation and subsequent medical management, the patient was airlifted," it said.
ICG Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III safely evacuated the patient from the vessel and the patient was administered urgent medical care.
"The exemplary operation undertaken by ICG ALH and CGAS Daman during the dark hours enabled the saving of a precious life of a foreign national at sea and reaffirms the Indian Coast Guard's commitment to the motto 'We Protect'," said the ICG.