Fisherman airlifted to hospital

A RESCUE helicopter from Stornoway made a 360-mile round trip in storm-force winds yesterday to pick up a fisherman who was severely injured on a vessel in the Atlantic.

The 34-year-old Spanish crewman on the UK-registered fishing vessel Mar Blanco suffered severe head injuries in a fall and needed urgent hospital treatment. He was taken to hospital in Stornoway.

Stornoway Coastguard rescue helicopter was dispatched at around 10:30am yesterday. A helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth was also sent in case further safety cover was needed after the Coastguard’s surveillance plane had to turn back due to icing problems.

The vessel originally called the owners in Spain, who contacted Spanish coastguards who in turn relayed the call to Stornoway via Clyde Coastguard.