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Medevac off Hobart

A French crew member was taken from the "Astrolabe" in a critical condition to the Royal Hobart Hospital on Jan 30, 2014, after suffering from a serious illness at sea. A police SAR helicopter airlifted the welder from the "Astrolabe", which sails to and from the Dumont d'Urville Antarctic research Station. The helicopter met the ice-breaking research vessel about 120 nautical miles south of Cockle Creek after 5 p.m. The vessel had travelled north to meet the helicopter. The pilot's first landing attempt was unsuccessful because of the rough conditions, which forced a doctor and paramedic to navigate a distance of about a metre from the helicopter to the helipad of the unsteady vessel. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported the man's illness to police about 10am on Thursday, but at that time the vessel was too far south from Tasmania - more than 200 nautical miles. The helicopter returned to Hobart about 7 p.m. The "Astrolabe" docked in Hobart on Jan 31 at 9.30 a.m. Report with photo: http://www.examiner.com.au/story/2059802/danger-faced-in-frenchmans-rescue/?cs=95