Vietnam Rescuers Land Seafarer with Suspected Heart Attack in Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese maritime rescuers have evacuated a seriously ill seafarer from the Japanese-flagged ship DEMETER LEADER off the coast of southern Vietnam and brought him ashore in Ho Chi Minh City. The ship was on passage from Japan to Singapore through the South China Sea when the crew member fell ill.
The Viet Nam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre received the ship’s emergency call at 09:20 on 30 October. The seafarer had constant chest pain on the left side, shortness of breath and a headache. Doctors at the telemedical service International SOS suspected acute coronary syndrome, a serious heart condition, and advised that he needed hospital care urgently. At one point his condition became worse and he had to be given oxygen on board.
After the master asked for help, the centre arranged medical consultations and first-aid guidance for the crew. On instructions from the Viet Nam Maritime and Waterway Administration, it sent the rescue vessel SAR 272 with two doctors on board to meet the ship.
SAR 272 landed the patient at the centre’s pier in Phuoc Thang ward, Ho Chi Minh City, at 03:21 on 31 October, and he was taken to hospital. His nationality has not been released.
The case shows the value of fast telemedical advice and coastal rescue services when a heart emergency happens far from shore. Officers trained in medical care can help by recording symptoms clearly, giving oxygen and medicines only as advised by the shore doctor, and contacting the nearest rescue centre early. Seafarers who notice chest pain or breathlessness should report it at once rather than waiting until the end of a watch.
