Coast Guard coordinates critical medical evacuation off Kerala coast

PTI, May 8, 2024, 8:35 AM IST

Credit: X / @IndiaCoastGuard

Kochi: The Indian Coast Guard said on Tuesday that it has successfully coordinated the medical evacuation of a critically-ill fisherman off the Kerala coast.

The ICG intervened in the evacuation after the officials of the Fisheries department raised a medical distress to the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC), Beypore, regarding the drowning of a fisherman from a fishing boat, a Defence press release said here.

Later, after the search, the fisherman was rescued, but the health condition of the patient, namely Ajin (26 years), a native of Colachel, Tamil Nadu, was deteriorating as sea water entered into his lungs.

“Considering the gravity of the situation and fulfilling the Coast Guard mandate of providing assistance to distressed fishermen at sea and saving precious lives, ICG immediately launched an advanced light helicopter with a medical team from Kochi while Coast Guard ships Aryaman and C-404 had responded to the distress,” the release said.

The fishing boat was located, and the patient was airlifted to Kochi.

On arrival, the patient was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, and at present, the patient’s condition is stable and he is under observation.

In a swiftly coordinated medical evacuation by ALH MK III helicopter @IndianCoastGuard saved a 26 yr old fisherman requiring immediate hospitalisation due to drowning from IFB Jazeera, located 40 miles from #Beypore. The patient was given inflight first aid and safely… pic.twitter.com/u0WuovfSiS

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 7, 2024