SANSHA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A seriously ill Vietnamese fisherman is now out of danger after being rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard and receiving treatment in Chinese hospitals, authorities said Thursday.
The local government in Sansha received a report on the morning of Jan. 20, that a Vietnamese fisherman suffering from a sudden illness at sea needed emergency treatment.
A Chinese coast guard vessel, which was patrolling near the Xisha Islands, rushed to the site and found crew of a wooden fishing boat waving a flag to seek help.
The coast guard vessel approached the fishing boat at around 10 a.m., and its medical personnel boarded the boat to provide the first aid.
Preliminary diagnosis showed the fisherman was in a critical situation, suffering from decompression sickness. His pulse was very weak and his blood pressure was unable to be checked. Medical staff suggested immediate transfer to a hospital for treatment.
The Chinese vessel transported the fisherman, accompanied by a Vietnamese crew member, to a hospital on Yongxing Island, the largest of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea.
The hospital confirmed that the fisherman, who was in a coma, was suffering from serious decompression sickness and his life was in danger.
Early on the morning on Jan. 21, the fisherman was transferred by helicopter to the intensive care unit at the People's Hospital of Sanya, a beach resort in Hainan Province.
The fisherman is now out of danger after treatment.
Vietnamese authorities have thanked the Chinese Coast Guard for its humanitarian aid and rescue efforts.