KOTA KINABALU, Oct 7 — Two sick navy crew members onboard the CB204 gunboat were airlifted off the KD Lekiu vessel this evening and sent to the military hospital here to receive immediate medical attention.

Royal Malaysian Navy Chief Petty Officer Charles Christopher anak Mani was reportedly suffering from gastric pains while petty officer Steven Hudson sustained injuries from being electrocuted while aboard the gunboat.

“They seemed weak and fatigued but could still walk upright while being supported. It was probably a good thing they will get medical treatment tonight,” said Super Lynx helicopter pilot Lieutenant Commander Hairul Afikin.

The two were transferred to the military hospital in Sepanggar near here at 6.15pm for medical attention.

The rescue attempt is the third one today after two failed attempts earlier.

“The helicopter took off from Sepanggar at 5.10pm when it was just raining lightly. We landed on KD Lekiu, which was about 50 nautical miles from here at 5.41pm and took off again at 5.48pm once the two patients were secured.

“We landed at 6.13pm where ambulances were waiting to take them to the hospital,” he said when met at the Sepanggar navy base here.

He said the medical evacuation went smoothly, due to the ease in weather and winds which was at 25 knots, as opposed to 64 knots where the CB204 is still being towed back.

According to RMN Chief of Staff-Operations Liet Comm Mohd Harris Sadi, they had wanted to fly out early this morning but the weather did not permit this. At about 1.26pm, the helicopter took off only to turn back when winds were too strong.

“The KD Lekiu had made the decision to go ahead of the KD Ganas which is still towing the CB204 which were some 10 nautical miles behind. They will now turn back to continue escorting the CB204,” he said.

Earlier, Region Two navy commander Rear Admiral Datuk Mohammad Rosland Omar said that efforts to fly back two navy crew members from the CB204 gunboat were hampered by the bad weather.

CB204 is expected to arrive at the Sepanggar navy base here at 11am tomorrow with current weather forecasts, or by 7pm at the latest with the remaining five members onboard — Lt Commander Azri Bakar, Ince Evin, Nor Azuan Ariffin, Sulhajji Daah and Mohd Azhry Maani.

Gunboat CB204 had taken off with navy vessel KD Paus early Sunday morning at 5am when they encountered waves up to four metres high and lost contact.

Six vessels and three aircrafts from the navy and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency were deployed in the search and rescue operations that lasted some 28 hours until RMN chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar confirmed on Twitter that the communication with the boat was established at 6.50pm.