RNLI scramble to help sick North Sea fisherman

Lifeboat crews have been scrambled to help an ill sailor in the North Sea.

A fishing vessel called HM Coastguard in Aberdeen to report one of their crew had taken ill, 11 miles away from the nearest RNLI station at Arbroath.

Both inshore and all-weather lifeboats have gone out to meet the trawler, in order to guarantee a speedy transfer.

And an ambulance is waiting on the crewman at Arbroath harbour.

A spokesman for HM Coastguard said: “The initial call came in at 8.45pm that a fisherman had taken ill on a vessel.

“It’s out at the Bell Rock, which is about 11 miles out to sea.

“There’s an ambulance waiting to take him away when the lifeboat gets back.”