Russian fisherman airlifted to Sligo after suspected heart attack

A Russian fisherman, who suffered a suspected heart attack, has been airlifted off a ship in the North Atlantic to Sligo.

The alarm was raised by the ship's crew yesterday afternoon, but the Sligo-based Sikorsky coastguard helicopter could not reach the man in time as the ship was 200 miles off the North West coast.

Malin Head coastguard took the decision to call in the Royal Navy Sikorsky helicopter based in Wales, which has a bigger fuel tank and longer range, to save the man's life.

It flew from Wales yesterday evening and reached the Russian fishing vessel at midnight.

The four crew airlifted the casualty aboard and landed at Sligo airport just after one this morning, where they were met by a waiting cardiac team from Sligo General Hospital.

The fisherman's condition is this morning being described as stable.