Medical emergencies at sea: an analysis of ambulance-supported and autonomously performed operations by lifeboat crews.

Background: Very little data is available about the involvement of lifeboat crews in medical emergencies at sea. The aim of this study is to analyze the medical operations at sea performed by the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM).

Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of all medical operations at sea performed by the KNRM between January 2017 and January 2020.