Crew airlifted from stricken submarine

THREE crewmembers of the crippled Canadian submarine off the Co Mayo coastline were airlifted to Sligo General Hospital last night.

One of the men was said to be in a critical condition following a fire on the vessel on Tuesday as the former British Navy diesel sub was being sailed from Scotland to Nova Scotia.

Irish air/sea rescue crews were on standby last night amid reports that the skipper and crew of the HMCS Chicoutimi were preparing to abandon ship.