BATU PAHAT – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Batu Pahat Zone had to initiate a medical evacuation (medivac) when a crew member of a ship suffered a heart attack in the waters of Tanjung Tohor, Muar last night.
Its director, Mohd Haniff Mohd Yunus said the agency received a distress call from the shipping agent of the ship, MS Vangelis, at 8.25pm about the medical emergency.
He said the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone Operations Centre then relayed the information to the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre in Johor Baru to coordinate the position of the ship which was sailing towards a port in Singapore.
“We immediately sent our asset, Bot Kilat 13, to the area where the Vangelis was located at about 17 nautical miles southwest of Tanjung Tohor.
“Upon arrival at the location, the team found the victim, a Filipino national, Rogelio P. Abucejo, 53, in pain. He was immediately evacuated to the hospital after early first aid using a portable oxygen tank was given,” he said in a statement today.
According to Haniff, strong winds and choppy water conditions made it difficult to evacuate the victim but he was eventually transferred to the Batu Pahat Zone jetty at 11.40pm.
“The victim was immediately rushed to the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital in Batu Pahat for further treatment,” he said.
He added that besides enforcing maritime law, the MMEA would also assist the public and the maritime community in carrying our air medivac or mercy sailing for emergency cases at sea.
This is the first medivac case involving the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone this year. – Bernama, March 26, 2023
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