Man airlifted to hospital after suffering suspected stroke aboard tanker off the Hartlepool coast

The man received emergency assistance this morning shortly after the Humber Coastguard paged Hartlepool Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteer crew members at 7:50am.

The RNLI all-weather lifeboat and crew launched just after 8am to assess the crew member in question at the vessel moored three miles off Hartlepool. Just eight minutes later, they were alongside the 5,831 ton, 100-metre-long LPG tanker.

Two crew members went aboard the ship where they assessed the condition of the man and administered casualty care.

A Coastguard helicopter arrived shortly afterwards and lowered a paramedic onto the deck of the ship. The casualty and paramedic were later winched into the helicopter, which then made its way to James Cook University Hospital.

Commenting on the operation, Hartlepool RNLI coxswain, Robbie Maiden, said: "A rapid response from the volunteer crew this morning meant we were alongside the vessel and administering casualty care to the ships crewmember within a matter of minutes.

“Once again the training we undertake paid off and the commitment from my crew turning out early on an icy morning was outstanding.

“I would also like to say thank you and well done to all the crew who turned out and the HM Coastguard teams for the safe and professional medical evacuation of the poorly crewman from the tanker.

“We hope the crewman from the tanker makes a successful recovery.”

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