IN THE NICK OF TIME

A small boat caught in rough surf can mean serious trouble. Fortunately, because the St Lucia crew was alerted by their station commander who was already on the beach for leisure purposes, they were able to respond swiftly and assist casualties with serious injuries. By Cherelle Leong

ON MONDAY 5 APRIL 2021, the last day of the Easter long weekend, six Station 40 (St Lucia) Sea Rescue crew members were on their way to Cape Vidal for training when they received a phone call from their station commander, Jan Hofman. Jan was on the beach at St Lucia and had been preparing to launch his private boat when he witnessed another boat being battered badly by huge waves as it launched through the surf. Once through the backline, the stricken vessel’s skipper radioed in, reporting that the boat was damaged and three of the four people on board were seriously injured. He requested permission to return to the beach immediately and asked for medical assistance.

THE NEED FOR SPEED

Jan knew there was no time to waste and requested the assistance of Netcare 911 paramedics at the same time that he activated the crew. Back at the beach, Jan watched as the skipper cautiously manoeuvred the damaged boat back to shore. Once they were safely on the beach, Jan conducted a medical assessment of the crew and skipper. The skipper was uninjured but in shock. The three crew were not as fortunate and had

more serious injuries. The most concerning was one casualty with a leg fracture. The other injuries included a dislocated shoulder and sprained ankle. Moving the man with the leg fracture was deemed too risky and once the Sea Rescue crew arrived, they helped to stabilise him on board the boat. The ambulance would not be able to drive on the beach, so they had to wait at St Lucia Ingwe Beach’s parking lot. The stricken vessel’s skipper radioed in, reporting that the boat was damaged and three of the four people on board were seriously injured.

RECOVERY CO-ORDINATION

Then began the complex task of recovering the casualty boat back onto its trailer with the three injured men and first responders still on board. It was a slow process requiring careful co-ordination and clear communication among everyone involved.

There could be no hard jolting, and any mistake could increase the severity of the injuries of those on board. But patience and persistence paid off and the boat was successfully recovered onto the trailer. It was then towed across the shallow river mouth and back to the parking lot, where the Netcare 911 ambulance was waiting. The paramedics assisted in extracting the injured from the boat and stabilised those who needed to be taken to hospital. We are pleased to report that although the man with the fractured leg required surgery, all three patients are all well on their way to making a full recovery. The quick response of the St Lucia Sea Rescue crew helped stabilise the men’s injuries until more advanced medical care was available. On this May day the surf was particularly rough. All skippers are urged to assess the surf conditions carefully and consult with local boat charters before attempting to launch in harsh conditions.

Station 40’s (St Lucia) rescue vessel, Wild Coast Sun Rescuer.