The Royal Navy Type 22 Devonport-based frigate is currently deployed on NATO's counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD.
Having recently come to the aid of some Yemeni fishermen whose dhow was seen drifting helplessly, she has been in life-saving action again.
See Related News to read more about HMS Chatham coming to the aid of the Yemeni fishermen.
The merchant seaman was onboard the MV Zakynthos, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker that was sailing through the internationally recommended transit corridor.
The master of the tanker radioed the warship to ask for help, saying that one of his Filipino crew had been suffering severe abdominal pain.
HMS Chatham's Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Sarah Droog, spoke to the master of the Zakynthos from Chatham's bridge and assessed that the sick man was most likely suffering from appendicitis, and therefore required urgent treatment.
Chatham's Commanding Officer, Commander Simon Huntington, quickly made the decision to dispatch Surgeon Lieutenant Droog to the merchant vessel in one of the ship's seaboats, so that she could provide immediate care.
When the patient had been stabilised, the ship's Lynx helicopter was launched, and despite Zakynthos's deck constantly pitching in a swell of up to three metres, the helicopter's crew was able to winch the patient into the aircraft and transfer him safely to the warship.
Once on board HMS Chatham he received medical care whilst best speed was made towards the port of Salalah in Oman, where the patient was transferred to hospital by Chatham's helicopter.
Surgeon Lieutenant Droog said:
"It was great to see HMS Chatham's team working together to enable the safe transfer of this patient to hospital. We all wish him a speedy recovery."
Commander Huntington said:
"For the second time in two weeks HMS Chatham has been able to render assistance to fellow seafarers. This is one of the many roles that the Royal Navy performs as part of the NATO task force.
"Whilst our core business is counter-piracy, my ship's company have demonstrated that we are trained and equipped to respond to rapidly changing circumstances wherever we are needed."