# Australian Customs ship in two rescues



## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

From Melbourne Herald and Sun - 

_AN Australian Customs ship patrolling the Southern Ocean has completed an eight-day rescue after being called to help two critically ill men stranded in remote areas.

The ship Oceanic Viking travelled 1800 nautical miles to rescue a man on the French-controlled Kerguelen Islands, which are midway between Africa, Australia and Antarctica. 

The ill man was a crew member on a French-licensed vessel, Matt Wardell from Australian Customs said. 

The Oceanic Viking had been patrolling Australian waters around Heard and Macdonald Islands in the Southern Ocean on October 11 when it received the distress call. 

The 43-year-old fisherman had suffered a heart attack a few days earlier and needed to be rushed to a hospital on Reunion Island, about 1820 nautical miles away, Mr Wardell said. 

After picking the man up, the ship received another call from a Burmese flagged ship. 

"En route to La Reunion, the Oceanic Viking then responded to an emergency request for assistance from a bulk carrier, the MV Dynasty, travelling between Brazil and China,'' Customs Minister Chris Ellison said. 

The ship informed the Australian vessel that a 35-year-old crewman had a burst appendix and needed emergency surgery. 

An Australian doctor on board the Oceanic Viking performed the surgery with Customs officers as surgical assistants. 

The two men were taken to Reunion, east of Madagascar and arrived yesterday. 

In total, Oceanic Viking travelled more than 3600 nautical miles before returning to normal duties. 

Mr Wardell said it was a long standing convention that ships would offer assistance to mariners in need and the cost of the rescue had not been calculated. _ 

Rushie


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

Hope there is no charge either, millioniare adventurers on the Great Southern Ocean rarely cough up a brass rasu after receiving assistance of this nature
Cheers 
Ted


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