Danish crewman airlifted to hospital in Shetland

The ill man was winched onboard Sumburgh coastguard helicopter

A man was airlifted to hospital by a coastguard helicopter after falling unwell on an offshore supply vessel 115 miles off Sumburgh in Shetland.

Emergency services in Denmark asked the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for help after the crewman on the Danish vessel fell ill on Wednesday night.

He was winched onboard the Sumburgh-based helicopter and flown to Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick.

The man would have been flown to Norway if he had been critically ill.

The coastguard said Norway had the nearest hospital with specialists to deal with the incident if it had been more serious.