PCG Rescues Ill Crew Member from Passenger Vessel Off Batangas

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Batangas successfully evacuated a crew member from a passenger vessel who reportedly suffered symptoms of a mild stroke while the ship was sailing off Batangas on Sunday, July 19. In a report, the PCG-Batangas said it received an emergency medical evacuation request from the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) Batangas at 11:20 a.m. The patient, a 57-year-old third engineer, experienced symptoms consistent with a mild stroke while the vessel was en route from Cagayan de Oro City to Manila and navigating waters south of Maricaban Island in Tingloy, Batangas. A Coast Guard response team immediately proceeded to the vessel and conducted an initial assessment, finding the crew member conscious and responsive. The patient, whose identity was withheld, was safely transferred to a rigid-hull inflatable boat, allowing the passenger vessel to continue its voyage to Manila. The PCG team then transported the patient to the port of Batangas, where he was turned over to a waiting ambulance and immediately taken to Batangas Health Care Specialists Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment. According to information provided by fellow crew members, the patient had been unable to take his prescribed maintenance medication. Upon waking up, he reportedly experienced numbness in one of his legs. Recognizing the seriousness of his condition, the vessel’s crew immediately coordinated with authorities to request an emergency medical evacuation. /atm