The medical team on board Operation Atalanta’s flagship, ESPS Galicia, regularly conduct medical exercises at sea to ensure that they remain fully prepared to deal with medical emergencies. With state of the art facilities on board, the team can carry out a range of medical procedures, from basic first aid to life-saving surgery and stabilization of multiple casualties.
During a recent patrol off the coast of Somalia, ESPS Galicia’s medical team and helicopter aircrew worked together to carry out a helicopter casualty evacuation exercise. To make the exercise as realistic as possible, a sailor from ESPS Galicia acted as an injured seafarer who needed to be airlifted to ESPS Galicia in order to receive urgent medical attention.
After strapping the ‘casualty’ on to a stretcher, the helicopter crew carefully lowered him to ESPS Galicia’s flight deck. Once on the deck, the medical team swung into action to take the casualty to the medical centre for treatment.
Since its launch in December 2008, EU NAVFOR has provided urgent medical assistance to a number of seafarers in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
During a recent patrol off the coast of Somalia, ESPS Galicia’s medical team and helicopter aircrew worked together to carry out a helicopter casualty evacuation exercise. To make the exercise as realistic as possible, a sailor from ESPS Galicia acted as an injured seafarer who needed to be airlifted to ESPS Galicia in order to receive urgent medical attention.
After strapping the ‘casualty’ on to a stretcher, the helicopter crew carefully lowered him to ESPS Galicia’s flight deck. Once on the deck, the medical team swung into action to take the casualty to the medical centre for treatment.
Since its launch in December 2008, EU NAVFOR has provided urgent medical assistance to a number of seafarers in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.