Video: Volunteer Lifeboat Crew Medevacs Tanker Crewmember

[Brief] The Kinghorn RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew was called out on Monday evening to evacuate a sick crewmember from a product tanker anchored off Kirkcaldy, a small port town on the east coast of Scotland. The lifeboat was called at 1620 hours after the UK Coastguard received a call for assistance from the product tanker Chistian Essberger. The vessel reported that a crewmember was suffering from a deteriorating medical condition and needed medical evacuation. 

The lifeboat launched at 1630 and was alongside the tanker within six minutes. The casualty was able to make his way down the ladder onto the lifeboat on his own, and the lifeboat crew provided him with a lifejacket for the trip to shore. 

"We were quickly alongside the tanker and fortunately the casualty was able to climb down the ladder unaided. We prepared him for the short journey back to Kinghorn and returned to the lifeboat station," said Scott McIlravie, the lifeboat's helm. 

The lifeboat's casualty-care trained crew monitored the seafarer until an ambulance arrived. He was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for further treatment.

"This was a successful job for our RNLI volunteers and we were able to get the casualty ashore for urgent treatment as quickly as possible," said McIlravie.