(This Story Was Originally Posted by India Today)
Malaysian national was provided medical help and timely evacuation by the Indian Navy on Thursday morning when she experienced difficulty in breathing.
Indian Naval officials evacuated a 34-year-old ailing Malaysian national from a merchant ship that she was sailing and provided timely help in receiving medical assistance.
The merchant ship she was sailing on was located 18 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast.
The Malaysian national, identified as Geetha Selvaraj (34) was suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease and was experiencing difficulty in breathing.
Her condition deteriorated after which the crew from the Singapore flag merchant vessel MV Eagla Tampa contacted the MRCC (Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center), seeking help at around 6 am.
Initially, crew members of the merchant ship tried to transfer Selvaraja to a tug which was nearby but failed due to the rough sea.
Crew members alerted Naval officials regarding the condition of the patients who had fallen unconscious. Naval officials, looking at the seriousness, scrambled the Naval Seaking helicopter from INS Shikra for medical evacuation.
The helicopter then picked up Selvaraja from the ship and returned to INS Shikra at 9:30 am.
The patient was transferred to the Saifee Hospital in a private ambulance, said Chief public relation officer (CPRO), Defence, Commander Mehul Karnik.
