Two seafarers died after they were evacuated from bulk carrier Agios Fanourios off the coast of Transkei, South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
NSRI East London received an alert of two sailors requiring urgent patient evacuation off the 33,261 dwt bulker in the afternoon hours of September 20.
The men, a 53-year-old Panamanian and a 53-year-old Filipino were reported to be unconscious and suspected to be suffering from Malaria.
At the time, Agios Fanourios, sailing from Abijan to Durban, was reported to be 92 nautical miles East of East London.
An SA Air Force (SAAF) 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter was sent to evacuate the seafarers. One was in a serious condition, and the other in a critical condition, NSRI informed.
Medical treatment was administered and both patients’ conditions were stabilised. They were then hoisted into the helicopter.
Medical treatment to both patients continued onboard the helicopter and at hospital in Durban. It was later confirmed that CPR efforts had been conducted in hospital on both patients whose conditions had deteriorated and both patients had later died.