The Chilean Navy reported on the execution of an emergency aeromedical rescue operation in the jurisdiction of the Third Naval Zone in a sector of the western mouth of the Strait of Magellan. This with the objective of evacuating a crew member, of Filipino nationality, from the vessel Vela flying the flag of the Marshall Islands.
The operation was carried out by the Naval Helicopter N-57 of the Southern Naval Air Group, which deployed to the coordinates reported by the ship, which is 11 years old, 229 meters in length and 32 meters in beam. The bulk carrier was sailing southbound from Vancouver, Canada, to Paranaguá, Brazil.
“Once in the area, the aircraft performed a hover over the Vela, allowing the execution of the evacuation maneuver. In a first phase, naval nurses were inserted onto the ship’s deck, who received the patient and performed his initial stabilization. Subsequently, the crew member was evacuated by stretcher and hoisted aboard the helicopter via its rescue winch,” communicated the Chilean Maritime Authority.
“The weather conditions in the sector were favorable, which allowed the operation to be carried out in a few minutes safely and efficiently. After the evacuation, the patient was transferred to Punta Arenas, where he was delivered at the heliport of the Magallanes Clinical Hospital to facility personnel for medical care, being in stable condition at the time of delivery,” he added.
“This operation demonstrates the response capability of the Third Naval Zone in hard-to-reach areas, through the use of specialized naval air assets and interagency coordination, contributing to the safeguarding of human life at sea in the southernmost region of the country,” concluded the statement from the Chilean Navy.
