KN Kresna 232 SAR boat captain Supriadi informed that Banda Aceh SAR Office head Budiono instructed his boat to evacuate the seaman.
"The evacuation process involved officers from the customs and excise office, port quarantine office, and other offices necessary for such evacuation. The evacuation process took place in the Bay of Bengal, with the exact point lying between the Besar Island in Aceh Besar and Weh Island in Sabang city," he said.
The evacuation point was located 8 nautical miles off Ulee Lheue Port, Banda Aceh, he added.
The authority received a request from the captain of MT Ivestos X to evacuate a crew member, identified as Joseph Rey G Boston, a Philippine national, after he developed health issues, including hypertension, Supriadi informed.
The Liberian-flagged cargo ship, which departed from Zhousan Port in China, was headed for Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, he added.
"The evacuation was conducted smoothly with no issue, the weather and sea waves during the evacuation were also in fair condition. Health protocol was enforced during the evacuation process to prevent the COVID-19 infection," Supriadi informed.
Meanwhile, the port health office doctor, Azizah Desvina, confirmed the evacuated seaman had undergone an antigen test to ensure he was COVID-19 negative before being allowed to board KN Kresna 232, which took him to a health facility in Aceh.
The port health office also performed an initial health examination on Boston, and the seaman was diagnosed with headache, nausea, and abnormal blood pressure, she informed.
"The initial examination diagnosed Boston with hypertension, and we evacuated him to Zainoel Abidin Regional Hospital in Banda Aceh for further treatment," Desvina said.
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Translator: M Haris Setiady A, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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