An Algerian rescue helicopter has taken an injured Turkish seafarer off his ship in the Mediterranean Sea. The 20-year-old crew member had a serious back injury after a fall on board.
Algeria's Ministry of National Defence gave the details on 27 October 2026. The rescue was done by the Algerian Coast Guard, which is part of the Naval Forces.
What happened
On 26 October at 16:48 local time, the master of the Turkish-flagged commercial ship Haci Ali Sari asked for an urgent medical evacuation. A medical evacuation, or medevac, means taking a sick or injured person to hospital quickly.
The ship was about 28 nautical miles north of Azeffoun. Azeffoun is a coastal town in Tizi Ouzou province, east of Algiers. One nautical mile is about 1.85 km.
Turkey's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said its main search and rescue centre got the call first. It then contacted Algeria's MRCC, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, and asked for the medevac. The Turkish authority called the injury a work accident.
Algeria's national sea rescue centre worked with the regional centre in Algiers. It sent a search and rescue helicopter from the 560th Search and Rescue Helicopter Squadron.
A rescuer was lowered from the helicopter to the ship. The injured seafarer was lifted into the helicopter. He was taken to a hospital in Zéralda for first aid. He was then moved to the hospital in Béni Messous in Algiers.
The authorities did not give the seafarer's name. They did not give more news about his condition.
The ministry posted a video of the rescue on X. It shows the ship at sea in the evening light and the helicopter crew at work. A rescuer goes down onto the deck, and the patient is lifted into the helicopter. At the end, an ambulance waits for him on land.
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For crews: falls and helicopter medevac
Falls on board are a common cause of serious injury. Ladders, wet decks, open hatches and moving ships all add to the risk. The tips below are general advice, not details from this case.
Use three points of contact on ladders. Keep your hands free when you climb.
Wear safety shoes, and a harness when working at height.
If someone is badly hurt, the master can get free medical advice by radio. This service is called TMAS, the Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service.
Before a helicopter comes, clear the deck area and tie down loose items. Follow the instructions of the helicopter crew.
Do not touch the hook or winch wire before it touches the deck. It can give an electric shock from static electricity.
Prepare the patient's passport, seaman's book and a short note on the injury and treatment given.
Cover photo: The harbour and coast at Azeffoun, Algeria, in 2017. Illustrative photo. Photo: Yelles/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped).
Sources: Algerian Ministry of National Defence (@mdnGovDz) on X, 27 Oct 2026: statement and video of the medevac of a Turkish seafarer off Azeffoun, Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs (@denizcilikgm) on X, 26 Oct 2026: Haci Ali Sari crew member medevac in Algeria, Algérie54: MDN – évacuation sanitaire urgente d'un marin turc à Azzefoune, ObservAlgérie, 27 Oct 2026: les garde-côtes évacuent en urgence un marin turc blessé au large d'Azeffoun, DHA: Cezayir açıklarında yaralanan Türk denizci helikopterle tahliye edildi.
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