India Coast Guard evacuates ailing man from tugboat off Gujarat coast

Mar 28, 2024

GUJARAT: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has evacuated a seriously ill man from a tugboat off Gujarat's Veraval coast and shifted him to a government hospital for treatment, officials said.

After receiving information regarding a medical emergency on tug 'ABS Anokhi' on Tuesday, ICG interceptor craft IC-121 immediately rushed from ICG Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre at Veraval in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat, it said in a statement.

47-year-old crew member K Ponnusamy was evacuated from the tug located around 10 kilometres from Veraval, the Indian Coast Guard said.

"India Coast Guard MRCC Mumbai received a distress call from Tug ABS Anokhi for 47 yr old critically sick crew member. Swift action by ICGS IC-121 from Veraval ensured prompt evacuation and medical aid. The patient was safely transferred to Government Hospital," the ICG said.

Earlier on February 20, the ICG safely evacuated a Mexican national who suffered a heart attack onboard a passenger vessel off the Goa coast.

A medical evacuation at sea was successfully executed by the ICG Ship C-158, ensuring the safety and well-being of Mexican national Fernando Cruz Mendez (53).

The coast guard received a message from Celebrity Millennium, a passenger vessel, about a medical emergency around 7.25 pm on Monday, around 40 km from the coast, he said.

A passenger had suffered a heart attack onboard the vessel, which was proceeding towards Mumbai.

The Coast Guard Headquarters in Goa immediately diverted ICGS C-158, which was on area patrol.