The Chinese ship Xiang Yang Hong 09 was off Polilio island in Quezon in the Pacific Ocean, when the helicopters hoisted the cook, Xu Zukui, using a rope harness as the aircraft hovered over the sea vessel, said Coast Guard officer Ronaldo Arenas, who led the rescue.
Xu, who complained of extreme abdominal pain, was flown to a Manila airport then brought to a nearby hospital for treatment, Arenas said.
Although acutely ill-equipped, the Coast Guard has received equipment and training from Japan and other countries in recent years, allowing its personnel to perform such emergency missions. AP