ARC Radio Net assists in Medical Evacuation

Cowes, 29 November 2001 - 18:00hrs UTC

Crew member Klaus Armbruster, onboard the German yacht Heaven Can Wait, has had to be taken off the yacht due to a suspected kidney stone and colic. Klaus continued to be seasick and unwell from the start of the ARC last Sunday 25 November. A medico call to Germany diagnosed the illness as a probable kidney stone, and advised that getting off the yacht was the best thing to do at this stage of the Atlantic crossing.
	After an Inmarsat C medical call from MRCC Bremen to yachts within a 200 mile radius of Heaven Can Wait additional help was offered from other ARC yachts. Fellow ARC yacht Y2K being the first, with agreement of the diagnosis from the Doctor onboard. Continuing seasickness rendered administration of drugs for the symptoms ineffective, evacuation and hospitalisation being considered essential for the well being of the patient.
MRCC Bremen co-ordinated a rendezvous with the Singapore flagged container ship ENIF. A successful transfer was completed and the ship is now heading to the Canaries or Madeira to land the patient for admission to hospital. Thormod Ohm, skipper of Heaven Can Wait, says of the incident "We would like to thank especially "Y2K", Mr Claus-Peter Offen and his doctor on board, "Annabel J" and their doctor and "Kimosabi" who offered drugs and help. Apart from Inmarsat and VHF it was quite useful for us to have SSB on board to inform the rest of the ARC-fleet and remain in contact with those boats without Inmarsat." The situation has been monitored throughout by the net controller onboard the ARC yacht Giriz 2 and the World Cruising Club event office in Cowes. Next of kin have been informed. All else is well onboard the yacht, which rejoined the rally at 1700 and is continuing the crossing in the ARC to St Lucia.

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Notes for editors:

Contacts: Full details about the ARC can be found on the World Cruising Club website at: www.worldcruising.com/arc or
contact Jeremy Wyatt at World Cruising Club on
tel. +44 (0)1983 296060
fax +44 (0)1983 295959
e-mail: [email protected]

World Cruising Club, 120 High Street, Cowes, PO31 7AX, England

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