Doctor to aid of heart attack man on ferry
A doctor was airlifted onto a ferry by the Solent Coastguard helicopter to treat a double heart attack victim early today.
The coastguard received an urgent call shortly before midnight from the ferry Braemar, travelling to Dover, saying a male passenger was suffering serious chest pains.
As the helicopter crew prepared to leave Lee-on-the-Solent to pick the victim up a second call came through from the ship saying the 55-year-old man had now suffered two heart attacks and was too ill to be lifted off the ferry.
Dr Phil Hyde, a volunteer Basics doctor who gives up his time to help the emergency services, came forward after an urgent appeal by Queen Alexandra Hospital for a doctor who had winch-training.
He raced to Lee, while QA staff sent medical supplies by ambulance, and around 12.40am the doctor was taken to the ferry. He successfully treated the seriously-ill patient, who was taken to an intensive care unit in Dover where he is believed to be recovering.
Coastguard watch manager David Williams said: 'Hopefully now this chap will be OK.'
The Basics service – the British Association for Immediate Care – is a registered charity which organises for doctors who volunteer to be on call to back up 999 crews.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
