UK Coastguard performs long-distance rescue
The UK Coastguard was called upon to rescue an unwell crewman from a vessel 180 miles offshore on 8 October.
The UK Coastguard was called upon to rescue an unwell crewman from a vessel 180 miles offshore on 8 October. A search and rescue crew at Stornoway was alerted to the situation after being contacted by the Spanish coastguard when the vessel was 230 miles offshore. As the distance was too far to dispatch a chopper, the boat was asked to steer toward shore.
Once within distance of the base, a helicopter, and an RAF Hercules C-130 aircraft, were dispatched to bring the man back to dry land. He was winched from the ship’s deck and then flown to Inverness airport, where he was then transferred to Raigmore hospital by ground ambulance.