Sailors' rescue mission may cost firm R20000

By Matt Ramsden

EAST LONDON -- A maritime cargo company faces a bill of more than R20000 after a South African Air Force helicopter had to fly from Durban yesterday to rescue two slightly injured sailors, one with a cut knee and the other with a bruised chest, from a carrier only five nautical miles off East London.

The drama began at 7am when able seaman Joseph Shafic, 23, and bosun Freddie Thys, 46, were smashed to the deck by two freak waves while busy closing air vents aboard the Safmarine-owned Kalahar,.

The ship, carrying coal from Richards Bay to Portugal, alerted its Cape Town headquarters which asked East London port captain Bernie Swemmer to organise a medevac (medical evacuation) by helicopter.

Mr Swemmer said he contacted the nearest SAAF base, Port Elizabeth's 302 Forward Air Command Post (FACP), for assistance.

An Oryx helicopter from SAAF 15 Squadron in Durban was scrambled and flown to the East London headquarters of Border Metro where a paramedic and advanced rescue operative were waiting to be picked up.

The helicopter then headed out to sea and landed on the 160-metre-long cargo carrier.

The medical team examined the injured men before helping them board the helicopter for the medevac to Border Metro's Vincent headquarters.

Once there, a waiting ambulance took the sailors to East London Private Hospital.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the hospital, still visibly dazed by their experience, the men quipped they were glad to be on dry land.

Mr Shafic said he had injured his chest and had coughed up some blood while Mr Thys complained of a cut under the right knee and bruising to the left leg.

Lieutenant-Colonel Trevor Schroeder, second-in-command of 302 FACP, said Safmarine would probably pay for the exercise.

He explained: "We cannot do these flights with taxpayers' money unless there is life at risk."

It is believed that the running cost of an Oryx helicopter is between R5000 and R6000 an hour, which means the exercise will probably cost Safmarine more than R20 000.

Safmarine public relations officer Wim Earles said the cost "will be dealt with through our normal claims procedure."

Last night Mr Shafic and Mr Thys, both from Cape Town, were described as being in a stable condition in hospital.