A crew member had to be airlifted to hospital after suffering a suspected stroke while on a ship off the coast of County Durham sparking an emergency response from the RNLI.
Hartlepool RNLI volunteer crew members were called at 7.50am on Sunday, January 31, by Humber Coastguard to a 100-metre LPG tanker that was moored three miles off Hartlepool.
The RNLI all-weather lifeboat and crew launched at 8.10am and were alongside the 5,831-ton ship just eight minutes later.
Once onboard, two crew members assessed the condition of the male who it was believed had suffered a stroke and administered casualty care to him.
A coastguard helicopter arrived a short time later and lowered a paramedic onto the deck of the ship who also took care of the casualty.
The casualty and paramedic were later winched into the helicopter where it then made its way to James Cook University Hospital.
The all-weather lifeboat and crew returned to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 9.50am and was refuelled and made ready for service by 10.30am.
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."
