A Malta-based Italian Military Mission helicopter was scrambled this morning to rescue a crewman on the Italian trawler Enza D who lost a finger in an accident some 80 nautical miles south-west of Malta.

The Maltese armed forces were alerted after it was found that no adequate hospital facilities were available in Lampedusa for the man’s finger to be saved.

The helicopter, piloted by an Italo-Maltese crew reached the ship – now 70 miles off Malta – just over an hour after the alarm was raised and the fisherman, Francesco De Tullio, 43 from Bari, was ferried safely to Mater Dei Hospital, where urgent medical procedures are now under way. .

The AB 212 helicopter crew was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Franco Trozzi. Staff Sergeant Norman Sciberras lowered AFM rescuer Lance Bombardier Judas Dimech to administer first aid and help stabilize the casualty. Maresciallo Giancarlo Evangelista later winched both back onboard where Bombardier Derek Pepe continued to administer specialised treatment to the Italian fisherman as the helicopter headed for Mater Dei Hospital.

The Italian Military Mission in the early hours of Saturday also airlifted an 84-year-old Englishman from a passenger cruise liner, the 'Buddica', after he was reported to have been losing a lot of blood by the liner's local agents. The elderly man was winched off the cruise liner at approximately 3.15 a.m. some 40 nautical miles east of Malta.

AFM medical officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Robert Galea who was onboard the helicopter to give immediate treatment to the patient enroute to Mater Dei Hospital.

Video clip: AFM Air Wing/ Nucleo AMI (MIATM)

mynews@timesofmalta.com