Sailor flown to hospital from tanker

A 53-year old Romanian sailor was flown from a tanker to Mater Dei Hospital this evening after falling ill and losing consciousness.

The sailor was on board the Italian-flagged Alice some 73 nautical miles east of Malta when the call for help was made.

The tanker informed the Armed Forces of Malta's Rescue Co-ordination Centre, through its local agents, that the crewman was unconscious and required urgent evacuation to hospital. An AB212 rescue-helicopter of the Italian Military Mission was immediately scrambled and landed at Mater Dei Hospital at about 10 p.m.