MT Sofia arriving tomorrow to evacuate injured crew member

St Helena Authorities have received a request from MT Sofia for medical assistance for an injured crew member. This is not COVID-19 related.

The vessel does not have appropriate medical facilities on-board and, as per the Island’s SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) obligations, St Helena will assist as the nearest port of call.

The MT Sofia’s last port of call was Angola which she departed on 10 July 2022. By the time of her estimated arrival at St Helena at 11pm tomorrow, Saturday 23 July 2022, the vessel will have been at sea for 12 days.

A multi-agency meeting, chaired by the Acting Chief of Police, including representatives from the Safety, Security & Home Affairs and Health & Social Care Portfolios, and Solomon & Company (St Helena) Plc was held today, Friday 22 July 2022, to plan and coordinate the safe extraction of the crew member.

The vessel will anchor in James Bay and will be boarded by relevant personnel. All COVID-19 protocols and procedures, as per the Island’s Standard Operating Procedures for arriving vessels, will be strictly adhered to and the injured crew member will undertake lateral flow tests.

The crew member’s condition will be assessed by medical staff and, following the assessment, the crew member will be extracted and treated at the General Hospital if Covid test results are negative. If there is a positive test result, the crew member will be treated at Bradley’s Hospital under quarantine conditions.

The MT Sofia will continue on its journey following the medical assessment and advice from Health officials.

#StHelena #SOLAS #MTSofia

SHG

22 July 2022

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: communications@sainthelena.gov.sh