Kidney pain flares up at sea; Chinese ship crew evacuated to Kupang

One crew member of the China-flagged vessel Hai Yang Shi You 278, Dong Qiang (43), was evacuated by a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team in waters off Pulau Kera, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), after experiencing kidney pain at sea. The evacuation operation lasted from Saturday night (7 March) to early Sunday morning (8 March 2026).

‘The victim was experiencing severe kidney pain requiring urgent medical attention while the ship was at sea,’ said Mexianus Bekabel, head of the Kupang Search and Rescue Office, to detikBali on Sunday.

Mexianus explained that Dong Qiang suddenly fell ill while the China-flagged vessel was sailing from Australia to Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. They then requested evacuation assistance from the Kupang SAR Office to obtain medical treatment at 20:15 WITA on Saturday.

Following the report, the Kupang SAR Office deployed KN SAR Antareja 233 with rescue personnel led by the Operations and Readiness Section Chief, Muhdar. The SAR team moved toward the location at around 20:40 WITA.

Medical personnel provided initial care aboard the vessel before evacuating Dong Qiang to KN SAR Antareja. After evacuation, the SAR team headed back to Kupang Navigation Port for handover.

‘Next, we handed the victim over to the vessel’s agent and medical staff for transport to Siloam Kupang Hospital for intensive care,’ Mexianus said.

Mexianus stated that the evacuation involved BKK Class 1 Kupang, KSOP, Immigration Office Class I TPI Kupang, Customs, police, and Bakamla Kupang. He stressed that the Chinese crew member had been evacuated safely.

‘The victim was successfully evacuated safely,’ he concluded.

(iws/iws)