THE IRISH Coast Guard's Sligo-based helicopter crew have marked a record mission, flying at the extreme end of their range to rescue a Norwegian fishing vessel crewman.
The helicopter crew had to refuel at the Shell-hired Sedco 711 rig on the Corrib gas field to complete the mission early yesterday morning.
The alert was raised when a Norwegian engineer on a fishing vessel working on the Rockall bank was reported to have chest pains and required immediate medical attention.
On the advice of air/sea medical services in Norway, the Sligo Sikorsky helicopter was tasked to airlift the man to hospital.
Pilot Ciaran Ferguson said some equipment from the helicopter was offloaded to ensure the helicopter could reach the fishing vessel some 224 nautical miles from Sligo. It took Capt Ferguson and co-pilot Stephen Yates three hours to reach the location, working with winch operator Gavin Playle and winchman John McShane.
The Sedco 711 rig crew refuelled the helicopter and gave the crew coffee during the brief stops, both outwards and homewards. Sea conditions were fairly good during the winch operation, but a four to five metre swell was "pitching the vessel quite a bit", Capt Ferguson said. Support at the Sligo rescue base was provided by engineers Francie Perris and Brendan Duggan.
The helicopter landed at about 1am and the engineer was taken by ambulance to Sligo General Hospital for treatment.
