Foreign vessel's sick crewmember brought to hospital

Operatives of the Philippine Coast Guard were able to bring a foreign vessel’s sick crewmember to a medical facility in Northern Samar, the agency announced on Wednesday. Jorki Zedkeia, 58, a married crewmember of MV Lady, a steel hulled cargo vessel from Majuro, Marshall Islands, was brought to the Dapdap Pier anchorage area in Allen, Northern Samar on Monday after complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing on Monday. Zedkeia’s condition prompted the vessel, which was navigating the vicinity of San Bernardino Strait at around eight in the morning of the same day, to change course. The ship came from Subic Bay Freeport and was headed for the Marshall Islands. Escorted by the master of the vessel and a fellow crewmember, Zedkeia was brought by the Philippine Coast Guard operatives at the Allen District Hospital onboard the Allen Philippine National Police service vehicle. At around 5:45 a.m. of Monday, personnel of Coast Guard Detachment Allen received a telephone call from Coast Guard Detachment Matnog under Coast Guard Station Sorsogon that said it was able to monitor a request to pick-up one crewmember of the said ship. Some fifteen minutes later, personnel of Coast Guard Detachment Allen were able to establish contact with the Master of said vessel thru Very High Frequency (VHF) handheld radio. During first radio contact, the vessel’s Master informed the Coast Guard that the ship will be proceeding to Dapdap Anchorage area, Allen, Northern Samar to evacuate a Zedkeia. At 7 a.m. rescue team from Coast Guard Detachment Allen proceeded to Dapdap Anchorage area to render necessary assistance and to pick-up the patient/ crew of subject vessel. Twenty minutes later, the team arrived at the rendezvous area and came alongside said vessel to pick up Zedkeia, who was later brought to the hospital. The MV Lady is still at the anchorage area in Dapdap, Allen, Northern Samar awaiting further instructions from the shipping manager before finally proceeding to its destination. - RJAB Jr/KBK, GMANews.TV