St David's pilot boat crew lift two sick seamen from cargo vessel

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11: Two sick sailors were brought into Bermuda from a passing ship on Monday night for medical treatment.

The two men on board the Federal Fuji fell ill on the cargo vessel’s journey to Brazil so the ship diverted into Bermudian waters.

At around 6:30pm the new pilot boat, St David, along with her crew, a doctor and branch pilot Reggie Matthie left Ordnance Island to pick up the two seamen.

Pilot Matthie boarded the ship to take control of the vessel while the pilot boat remained alongside the larger vessel.

The two sick seamen were able to make their own way onto the pilot boat.

Pilot Matthie told the Sun: “We were very fortunate that it was such a calm evening — it made the job much easier than it could have been.

“We had spoken about the possibility taking the two men off the ship on stretchers but because conditions were so perfect both men were able to make their own way down on to the pilot boat.

“One man was able to come down the ship’s gangway while the second climbed down the rope ladder.

“The operation ran extremely smoothly and pilot boat crew performed excellently.

“I had set the ship on a safe course away from Bermuda for the captain before I left the bridge and joined the pilot boat crew.

“The rescue operation was completed within an hour and we were back in St George’s by 7:30pm.

The rescue operation took place around a mile off shore from St David’s Head near the Sea Buoy.

Once the two men had been safely brought aboard the pilot boat the Federal Fuji continued on her way to South America.

When the pilot boat arrived at Ordnance Island both patients were transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to hospital.

One sailor is believed to have been suffering with kidney stones while the second man had been experiencing chest pains.

Both are believed to be making a good recovery in hospital.

This is the first two-man medical-evacuation the St David has performed since coming into service at the end of last year.

Elsewhere this week it is just the usual container ships.

The Bermuda Islander is due in tomorrow while the Oleander returns to Hamilton on Sunday afternoon.