Seaman rescued by Coast Guard

Kolkata: The Coast Guard carried out the mid-sea evacuation of an ill mariner nearly 100 nautical miles (185.2km) from Haldia on Sunday. Mridul Singh (27), a junior officer of the 183m-long tanker MT Hansa Prem, was taken in a Coast Guard vessel to Haldia, where an ambulance was waiting to shift him to hospital.
“Around 10.45am on Sunday, Coast Guard station, Haldia, received a medical evacuation request from the master of MT Hansa Prem that was on its way from Ennore with fuel and lube oil.The ship had started from Ennore at 3pm on Thursday and was to enter Haldia on Wednesday. Singh was suffering from severe abdominal pain and swelling for two days,” a senior official from Coast Guard headquarters (northeast region) said.
The Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Sub Centre, Haldia, swung into action immediately and Indian Coast Guard Ship Anmol, on routine patrol along the country’s exclusive economic zone, was re-routed to the spot. A medical team from ICGS Anmol got on MT Hansa Prem and stabilized Singh’s condition before shifting him to their vessel.
“It was a challenge as the patient had to be lowered from a height on to the deck of ICGS Anmol. All this while, the smaller ship, which was also much lighter than the tanker, had to be kept stable in the high seas. This took a fair bit of efficient seamanship. On board ICGS Anmol, Singh received further medical attention and the ship berthed at the Coast Guard jetty in Haldia at 12.30am on Monday. MT Hansa Prem’s agents were waiting with an ambulance there and Singh was shifted to hospital,” the official added.