The Philippine Navy early this week evacuated a sailor stricken with appendicitis from an Australian submarine that had sought assistance off Samar, the military said Wednesday.
“On Sunday afternoon, around 5:56, an Australian submarine surfaced about three nautical miles off Marabut, Samar. It unloaded a patient with appendicitis, probably a crew. Our Navy personnel on board DF339 picked up the patient along with his escort. Immediately thereafter, the submarine left the area,” Lieutenant Commander Jim Alagao, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Central Command, said in a phone interview.
Alagao said he did not know where the submarine came from.
But he said before it surfaced, the vessel contacted Naval Forces Central Command for assistance in the emergency evacuation of the crewman, who was taken to a hospital in Tacloban City.
The Centcom spokesman declined to identify the sick Australian and his escort, citing military security protocols.
“The following day (Monday), the patient was evacuated to Manila. As per report we received today, the patient’s condition has been improving,” Alagao said, declining to say what hospital the sailor was admitted to.
He said Navy headquarters in Manila is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs for proper documentation of the two foreign sailors.
In recent years, the Philippine and Australian militaries have been strengthening relations for improved interoperability and disaster response.
Alagao also cited Article 18, Paragraph 2, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, on the Doctrine of Innocent Passage, which covers “... passage includes stopping or anchoring ... rendered necessary by force majeure, or distress or for the purpose of rendering assistance to persons, ships or aircraft in danger or distress.”
Article 20 of UNCLOS also provides, “In the territorial sea, submarines and other underwater vehicles are required to navigate on the surface and to show their flag.”
The Australians, said Alagao, “complied (with) these provisions of the UNCLOS, including the requisite permission under the convention. The Navy binds itself to render all appropriate assistance to any nation whose people or uniformed personnel are similarly situated as in the case of this Australian Navy personnel whose life is in peril."
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/88864/ph-navy-evacuates-stricken-crewman-from-aussie-sub-off-samar
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