Coast Guard Evacuates Critically Ill Man From Lakshadweep After Flying 900 Km In Inclement Weather. WATCH

The 48-year-old was reported to be suffering from a brain stroke and unconscious at Government Hospital, Androth, an island in the archipelago.

Indian Coast Guard soldiers flew a total distance of roughly 900 miles in harsh weather aboard a Dornier aircraft to transport a critically ill man from a distant Lakshadweep island to Kochi for better medical care on Friday, news agency PTI reported. The 48-year-old was reported to be suffering from a brain stroke and unconscious at Government Hospital, Androth, an island in the archipelago.

The patient was transferred from Androth to Agatti (170 kilometres) and subsequently from Agatti to Kochi (450 kilometres).

A Coast Guard Dornier with a medical crew and appropriate medical equipment was on standby at the Coast Guard Air Enclave in Kochi. It left at 7 a.m. to collect the patient from Androth.

In the midst of severe rains, Coast Guard personnel at Kavaratti and Androth managed the patient's safe evacuation. According to a Defence announcement, he was then evacuated from Agatti to Kochi aboard a Coast Guard Dornier.

"The Coast Guard Dornier transited a distance of approximately 900 km in extreme weather conditions and provided necessary medical support to the patient en route," it said.

The Dornier plane arrived at 2.38 p.m., and the patient was sent to Medical Trust Hospital in Kochi for additional treatment.

The successful and secure evacuation demonstrates the expertise and dedication of Indian Coast Guard troops stationed in these remote islands to helping the Islanders, it said.

On June 22, a dangerously unwell two-and-a-half-year-old child was flown from Agatti Islands in Lakshadweep to Kochi in tough monsoon weather circumstances aboard a Naval Dornier aircraft.