HMS Iron Duke Rescues ill Sailor

While making her way back to the UK from a six-month deployment to the Caribbean, HMS Iron Duke evacuated a seriously ill sailor from a motor cruiser and took him to hospital.

Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate, left Barbados on 30 November and received the call for assistance in the early hours of Thursday 3 December.

One of the crew of the motor cruiser 'Ocean Mercury' was seriously ill with severe abdominal pains and the vessel was making very slow progress towards land.

Falmouth Coastguard, unable to find any other vessels in the area able to assist, called on the Royal Navy.

Iron Duke made maximum speed towards Ocean Mercury which was 1,100 nautical miles (2,037km) away.

On Friday 4 December, as she neared the motor cruiser, the ship's Lynx helicopter, 'Charger', from 815 Naval Air Squadron, was launched at maximum range with the ship's Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Richard Rennie, on board.

Surg Lt Rennie was lowered onto the Ocean Mercury, where he assessed the casualty as safe for winching.

Doctor and patient were winched onto the helicopter which then returned to Iron Duke.

On Saturday, once in range of land, Charger was again launched on a 300-nautical-mile (556km) mission to take the casualty to hospital in the Cape Verde Islands.

The rescued crewman is doing well in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

Iron Duke, having refuelled in the Cape Verde Islands, is now continuing her passage to the UK in time for Christmas.

Lieutenant Commander Alasdair Peppe, the ship's Executive Officer, said:

"Assisting those in distress is second nature to seafarers. When we received the call to help the Ocean Mercury we were delighted to assist."

Lieutenant Commander Simon Collins, Flight Commander of HMS Iron Duke and 815 Naval Air Squadron, said:

"Winching the casualty from such a small motor cruiser was a technically difficult operation, but one we achieved in the finest traditions of the Fleet Air Arm."

By Royal Navy