Man airlifted from cruise ship off Shetland Islands

A "seriously ill" pensioner had to be airlifted to hospital from a cruise ship off the Shetland Islands on Thursday.

The 76-year-old man was take off the ship operated by Voyages of Discovery by a coastguard helicopter from Sumburgh, before being transferred to Gilbert Bain hospital in Lerwick.

The ship was 90 miles off the coast at the time, according to the BBC.

Shetland coastguard received the call at 2.20am on Thursday from the Bermuda-registered cruise ship, Discovery, reports Shet News.

A spokesman for Shetland coastguard told The Scotsman: "The helicopter flew out to the cruise ship and airlifted the gentleman; he was flown to the emergency landing site in Lerwick in Shetland.

"The helicopter was met by the Lerwick coastguard rescue team and the Scottish Ambulance Service and the man was conveyed to the Gilbert Bain Hospital."

A hospital spokeswoman told Shet News that the man was to be taken to Aberdeen for further treatment.

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