41 locals stranded out at sea, 40 nautical miles from Basamuk (BSK) were rescued to safety in the early hours of Wednesday 25th January by employees of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Limited (RNML) from its Basamuk Refinery in the Rai Coast District of Madang Province.
The swift response by staff from respective departments of RNML at Basamuk saw the 41 rescued. They were aboard an emergency ship that belongs to the Madang Provincial Health Authority (MaPHA) after it ran out of fuel and was drifting for approximately 10 hours out at sea.
Deputy General Manager of the BSK Refinery, Zhu Hongyu received a call from the Madang Provincial Hospital seeking rescue and fuel assistance to bring to safety these passengers that were left adrift for hours.
Taking into account the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Wang Changjiang, Vice President of RNML issued an order to set up an emergency rescue team led by Mr. Zhu and Mr. Shen Zuojun, the APD Superintendent of BSK, to implement the rescue operations promptly.
Racing against time, they set off in two (2) teams, one in search of a rescue boat while the other went out to get fuel. After about an hour, around 2AM a usable assault boat was found, thankfully, Leonard Kudud, a member of the APD Team at BSK could operate the boat. The team that went out to get fuel also returned about the same time so the assault boat wasted no time but rushed off to the site.
After about an hour, having being told to switch on any form of light so the rescue vessel could locate them, a police officer who was on board the rescue boat called and informed the team that 12 women and children have been transferred to the assault boat and brought to safety.
Another load of passengers on the assault boat and the rescued vessel after receiving fuel aid, arrived at the small dock at BSK around 4:20 AM, bringing all 41 to safety. The 41 consist of 14 adult males, 19 adult females, 9 children and 2 babies, including public servants, teachers and nurses.
Those who needed medical attention received treatment accordingly by site doctors at Basamuk Refinery clinic. Director of the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) in the province called and thanked the Ramu NiCo team at BSK for their prompt response to this situation. The rescued then boarded the Company ship, MV Carrie for Madang from Basamuk during the day.
This rescue operation, is in line with RNML’s motto of “One Ramu NiCo, One Community”, which not only reflects the corporate responsibility of Ramu NiCo, but also reinforced its commitment to contribute to the wellbeing of the people in its footprint areas and Madang Province as a whole.
Four rescue vehicles, one assault boat and 14 rescue personnel were dispatched, and 41 stranded people were successfully rescued.
