Fisherman seriously injured on fishing trawler

Image: NSRI crew aboard the pilchard fishing trawler Uma Dala.Picture Stefan Korowski.

At 04h05 on Monday 27th February NSRI Mossel Bay were called out following a request for assistance from the Pilchard fishing trawler Uma Dala reporting crewman Denzel Williams, 31, from Saldanha Bay, seriously injured after being struck by a piece of hydraulic winch.

According to the skipper it flew loose after the safety pin snapped, hitting Denzel on the head.

Our volunteers launched the sea rescue craft Vodacom Rescuer I accompanied by a WC Government Health: EMS paramedic and responded to rendezvous with the trawler reaching them off the Gouritz River Mouth.

Two NSRI rescuers and the EMS paramedic were transferred onboard the trawler and found the patient with a fractured left arm, a laceration to the right leg and lacerations and contusions to his head. He was also suffering from hemorrhagic shock (shock from excessive blood volume loss).

Medical treatment commenced, including stopping the bleeding, intravenous fluid therapy, full c-spine immobilization, oxygen therapy, and re-warming the patient while making him comfortable and reassuring him.

The patient was stabilized and it was decided to keep him onboard the trawler rather than risk transferring him at sea onto our sea rescue boat. The trawler steamed to Mossel Bay harbour where we were met by an ambulance and the patient has been transported to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment where he is recovering.

- NSRI