Police chopper brings in injured crewman

| 31/08/2013

(CNS): A man Injured on a ship out at sea was airlifted to Grand Cayman Friday by the RCIPS helicopter in its medevac. The 38 year old man sustained a serious back injury while working on the crane ship out at sea. Shortly before noon yesterday (30 August)  the RCIPS was contacted by the master of the crane ship – McDermott Derrick Crane Barge 50 – which was 145 nautical miles northwest of Grand Cayman. The master reported that a member of his crew had fallen on a structure and had sustained suspected spinal injuries.

The injured man had been immobilised and was being treated by the ship’s paramedic but he was in increasing pain and it was clear that he required urgent hospital assessment but the vessel was more than 20 hours away from Cayman.

Following an assessment of the situation the RCIPS Air Operations Unit was launched at around 3pm Friday afternoon and it rendezvoused with the ship approximately  110 miles north west of Grand Cayman just an hour later 4.00pm.

It landed on the ship’s helideck and then airlifted the injured crewman back to Owen Roberts International Airport. On arrival, at about 5.15pm, they were met by an ambulance crew who transported the injured man to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he is currently being treated.
 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    No one has said this is costing Cayman money.

    Nobody said anything about insurance

    No body said who is paying.

    This was, for intents and purposes a n accident, on a ship in international waters, that needed treatment from the nearest available source. So guess what. Cayman was nearest and we dealt with it and so we should. Would the same naysayers be beaking off if it was Cuba that assisted…or Jamiaca.. or Dom Rep ? Doesnt matter, we assisted, it will be dealt with, thatsall you need to know. I doubt it will put the price of turtle meat up too much !

  2. Anonymous says:

    Great Job by the RCIPS! Fulfilling International obligations as they are expected to!

  3. Anonymous says:

    OMG….what has happened to humanity?  A man gets a serious injury out at sea and the first thing most of these posters think about is the money?  I am sure if/when they ever get in a situation requiring help they will be praying no one sits around waiting to see who will pay for it before coming to their aid.  Shame on you.  This is one instance where govt. money has not been wasted.  Its not like he went out to sea with no gas in his gas tank or was running drugs and guns or something stupid or illegal.  Come on people….search yourselves and find some sympathy and human kindness for this man who is not only in a hospital but is here alone in a foreign country.  Caymankind????  Shame on all of you money mongers.

    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you!  I bet the guys in the helicopter unit didn't start by asking who was paying.  No emergency rescue service of this kind does, and we are lucky the world over to have people that willdo this kind of job.  It appears that some of you wouldn't cross the road to help someone, let alone fly over 100 miles.  Perhaps the insurance or company will pay something, I for one am not bothered, but should that really be the first thing you comment about. 

  4. Anonymous says:

     I hope the injured man will be ok, but i hope the ship is paying for this. Running the police helicopter is very expensive for the CI and we should not be paying for others mistake,

    • Anonymous says:

      Insurance should pay for it. Let us hope that someone pays for you to begin with should you ever get into trouble when away from Cayman until your insurance can kick in. The principal of offering ships and sailors assistance when in trouble is one that should be known and respected by Cayman. It does not work just here, but around the world.  Good to know the still strong Christian Cayman spirit is worrying about the money first…hell we will have ambulance chasers here soon at this rate…

  5. The Wong. says:

    Very good to hear this. Kudos to the RCIP Air Wing. 

  6. Anonymous says:

    Did they charge the insurance company for it?

  7. Anonymous says:

    Well done.  The heli has served another good purpose.  May the gentlman recover from his mishap and the RCIP continue to serve its people.