What Crew Members Say About Nandu-Arrow

On December 2, 2016, at approximately 5 p.m., the CROSS Gris Nez received an urgent call from the MRCC in Madrid regarding a medical emergency aboard the cargo vessel "Nandu Arrow." The ship was located about 142 nautical miles southeast of Penmarc'h Point in the Bay of Biscay, prompting the CROSS d'Étel to initiate a coordinated rescue effort. After consulting with the Maritime Medical Consultation Center in Toulouse and the Finistère Maritime Medical Coordination, it was decided that the ill crew member needed to be evacuated via helicopter to the hospital in Brest. Consequently, the "Nandu Arrow" turned around to approach the coastline for a safer operation. A Caiman helicopter from the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval base was dispatched, equipped with a medical team, taking off at 6:11 p.m. The helicopter successfully reached the vessel by 7:10 p.m., where the medical team provided care to the ailing sailor before hoisting him aboard. At 7:30 p.m., the helicopter departed the ship and made its way to La Cavale Blanche hospital, landing at 8:37 p.m. The injured crew member was then handed over to the hospital staff for further medical attention.