Emergency onboard the Ben My Chree

Mon, 28 Mar 2011

Saturday's helicopter rescue on the Ben My Chree. Photograph by Nick Coole

More information has emerged about a medical emergency onboard the Ben my Chree at the weekend.

The boat was two hours in to its crossing from Douglas to Birkenhead on Saturday morning.

At 9.20am it was reported that a man in his fifties had taken ill with suspected appendicitis.

A doctor onboard requested the patient be moved to hospital.

Liverpool Coastguard was contacted and a helicopter sent from RAF Valley in Anglesey.

A winchman was lowered on to the ferry just after 10am to assess the casualty.

The man was taken to Bangor Hospital in North Wales.

His condition is unknown.