Coast Guard evacuates German suffering stroke aboard ship near Pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard officials conducted a "medical evacuation" for one German passenger aboard a ship northwest of Bolinao, Pangasinan on Friday.

According to the PCG, the incident happened onboard the M/V VASCO DA GAMA, which was located at vicinity waters 189 nautical miles northwest of Santiago Island.

This reportedly prompted the Coast Guard District North Western Luzon to take action.

"He was identified as Mr. Olaf Schimmelpfennig, a 59-year-old German national who suffered from acute stroke," said the Coast Guard in a statement this Saturday morning.

"Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel on board MTUG POLARIS QUEEN proceeded to the location of M/V VASCO DA GAMA and carefully disembarked the patient."

The MTUG POLARIS QUEEN had already reached Soiltech Pier on Saturday, with the medical team immediately conducting physical assessment and medical evaluation.

The patient was then ferried by an ambulance deployed by the Bureau of Quarantine. He was brought to Lorma Medical Center, City of San Fernando, La Union for appropriate medical assistance.

The Hopper Dredger M/V VASCO DA GAMA, under the flag of Belgium, is currently nearby Indonesia and is headed to Dubai, according to www.marinetraffic.com.