CHENNAI: The Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday carried out a complex mid-sea medical evacuation of a Syrian sailor from a Belize-flagged cargo vessel. The incident occurred on MV Haje Nafela enroute to Kakinada from Malé, Maldives when 20-year-old crew member Abdulkader Yahya sustained a severe head injury while working on deck.
The injured sailor was suffering intermittent memory loss and heavy contusion around the right eye, prompting the vessel’s master to request an urgent medical evacuation. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai received the distress message when the vessel was more than 200 nautical miles offshore.
MRCC immediately instructed the ship to proceed at full speed toward Chennai and offered telemedicine guidance from an ICG medical officer to stabilise the patient until evacuation. In a swift mobilisation, the ICG deployed interceptor craft C-440 with a medical team on board and diverted ICG ship Annie Besant to assist.
The evacuation was executed approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast and handed over to the vessel’s local agent.