A 59-year old seaman from Ghana was on Saturday evening successfully airlifted from the Liberian-registered motor-tanker Annabella by the Italian Military Mission’s (MIATM) AB212 airforce rescue helicopter.

This was first ever MIATM AB212’s casualty evacuation and landing to the new Mater Dei Hospital’s helo-pad, since the migration of services from St. Luke’s Hospital.

The Armed Forces of Malta’s Operations’ Centre at Luqa Barracks were at around 5pm news from the “Annabella” that its crewman, Normajo Binente, was suffering from heart problems, while sailing some 18 nautical miles to the south of Malta.

The AFM Air Wing was immediately alerted to scramble the Italian Air Force AB212 helicopter to the scene, while the ship was directed to steam to some four miles offshore.

AB212 rescue flight crews are manned by joint Italo-Maltese personnel of the Italian Air Force and the AFM’s Air Wing, with the latter providing specialised para-medic rescuers. The MIATM has two AB212 helicopters based in Malta, and are on standby to assist as required the AFM in providing Search and Rescue services to the outer reaches of the Maltese Flight Information region.