Ben Line Agencies Japan assists in rescue operation of Chinese Fisherman in the Pacific Ocean
On Friday 18th May, an emergency request call came in to the Ben Line Agencies Japan (BLAJ) Operations team through Japan Fisheries Association asking for all necessary assistances to rescue an injured crew from a Chinese fishing boat which was operating 220 miles SSE of Kushiro, Hokkaido. The 29-year old crew member was hit by a jumped anchor rope and was in a coma.
The BLAJ Operations team immediately contacted the 1st Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of Japan Coast Guard to rescue the injured crew by Japan Coast Guard (JCG) helicopter.
A helicopter was scrambled to rescue the crew from the fishing boat and successfully lifted him at 15:30LT in the Pacific Ocean. After a quick replenishment of fuel on board a JCG patrol ship, the helicopter landed at Kushiro at 18:00LT and the injured crew arrived at a hospital at 18:30LT. All C.I.Q. formalities have been arranged in Kushiro.
After medical treatment, the fisherman was discharged from hospital on Thursday 24th May together with 2 BLAJ staff members, including a native Chinese speaker, who had flown from Tokyo to Hokkaido to escort him up until his repatriation to Shanghai on 25th May.
This was the 6th emergency rescue operation since the beginning of 2017 where BLAJ has successfully executed agency tasks of this kind.
BLAJ and the Ben Line Agencies group considers the wellbeing and safety of all fishermen and its duty as agents to provide all the necessary assistance where personnel and vessels encounter challenging and hazardous conditions whilst at sea.
Meanwhile, BLAJ received a special appreciation letter from the Chinese principal on Monday 4th June.
