A crew member sustained a serious head injury after falling from height inside a work vessel on the River Thames near London Gateway in Sea Reach on Tuesday, October 20. The incident prompted a Mayday broadcast, and Gravesend Lifeboat was tasked at 7.40pm, launching immediately to assist.
Lifeboat Crew Boards Casualty Vessel
Tyler Bonham, duty RNLI Thames commander, said: “On arrival, two Gravesend RNLI lifeboat crew members boarded the casualty vessel via a pilot ladder, carrying specialist casualty care equipment.”
“They were met by members of the vessel’s crew, who escorted them to the generator room, where the casualty was located.” The individual had sustained a severe head injury after falling from height inside the vessel.
Complex Evacuation in Confined Space
Crews assessed the casualty and determined that careful extraction was required. The confined space of the generator room, with tight bulkheads and steep stairways, added complexity to the operation. Mr Bonham said: “To minimise further injury and reduce risk to the casualty, a multi-stage evacuation plan was agreed.”
The team worked with the ship's crew to move the casualty safely from the generator room to the deck, where the individual was secured in a stretcher. Due to safety concerns and limited space, the casualty was lowered onto a tug waiting alongside using the vessel’s onboard systems.
Transfer to Shore and Medical Handover
The tug offered a more stable platform than the lifeboat for the transfer to shore. Gravesend Lifeboat crew remained on the tug to monitor the patient during the journey to a floating pontoon, where an ambulance crew and a doctor were waiting. The casualty was handed over to the medical team on shore.
Once the casualty had been safely transferred into the ambulance, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station. The rescue operation highlighted the challenges of medical evacuations in confined maritime environments and the importance of coordination between lifeboat crews, ship personnel, and shore-based medical teams.
