Frontier officers' quick action helps ailing captain

Quick action by Shanghai frontier inspection officers has helped a sick freighter captain get urgent medical help.

The Yangshan Frontier Inspection Station said on Monday the the Taiwan man fell suddenly ill with stomach pains while at sea captaining a Liberian-registered ship.

The station threw open its green inspection channel for the ailing captain and his crew, and helped a new captain take over within 10 hours.

The captain fell ill on Saturday and handed over to his first mate, who radioed the Yangshan station for help.

After receiving the freighter's plea for help, the station opened its green channel and allowed the captain to get ashore with all crew members' documents for doing the vessel's entry procedures.

At dawn on Sunday, the captain was sent to the East Branch of the Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital. He was diagnosed with acute gastric perforation but thanks to the timely treatment, he is now in stable condition.

The new captain arrived in the city at 3pm on Sunday and boarded the freighter with the station's assistance. The freighter has again set sail.

The station said this year it has opened its green channel eight times for emergencies such as a fire on vessel or medical problems.