Drama on the South Wales high seas

One of Tarmac's four dredging ships was recently called on a mercy mission to attend to a medical emergency on board a fishing vessel off the coast of South Wales.

The City of Cardiff vessel was contacted by Milford Haven coastguard at 0800hrs on Tuesday 24 February and was requested to proceed to the aid of a fishing boat ten miles south west of Milford Haven, South Wales.

Captain Dave Harper said: "The coastguard informed us that a crew member on the fishing vessel had collapsed suffering a severe asthma attack. Our vessel is fully equipped with a wide variety of medication and is able to deal with most medical emergencies foreseeable at sea and several crew members have also been extensively first aid trained."

The City of Cardiff increased to maximum possible speed and plotted an intercept course arriving with the fishing vessel 45 minutes later.

Captain Dave Harper (from Blackpool) manoeuvred the vessel to a stop 200 metres from the fishing vessel whilst Phil Robertson Chief Officer (from Yateley, Hants) with Tom Barlow and Phil Cosgrove (both from Liverpool) were swung out in the ship’s rescue boat carrying the required medication on a doctor's advice via the coastguard.

"Just as we arrived on scene, helicopter 'Rescue 169' arrived and the decision was made by the coastguard to evacuate the casualty to hospital immediately by helicopter", Captain Dave Harper continued.

The City of Cardiff stood by whilst the winching operation was carried out and when the lifeboat from Milford Haven arrived on scene the Tarmac owned vessel was released from duty.

The crew member of the fishing boat was detained in hospital for a week before being released.

10 March 2009