Coast Guard evacuates critically ill Indian mariner

Kendrapada: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday evacuated a critically ill Indian mariner displaying symptoms of cardiac arrest from a Liberia-flagged container vessel in Bay of Bengal, about 15 nautical miles off Paradip.

The 21-year-old vessel had left Kolkata on June 1 for Colombo when a 39-year-old crew member, identified as A B Venkatesh Krishnan from Tamil Nadu, suffered a medical emergency.A distress call from the ship’s master was received around 2 am on Sunday, seeking urgent medical assistance. The coast guard immediately established communication with the vessel and provided telemedicine support.Based on the symptoms and the crew member’s medical history, a doctor advised immediate evacuation, a coast guard officer in Paradip said.Interceptor boat ICGS C-158, equipped for medical emergencies, was deployed from Paradip. Braving rough sea conditions, the team rendezvoused with the vessel and evacuated the patient safely.Onboard first aid was administered before the boat rushed back to Paradip port. The mariner was later handed over to a local agent for further specialised treatment.