Four Ukrainian crewmen from onboard a Belize-registered vesse, have been hospitalised after they inhaled fumes whilst working in the ship's ballast tanks.

The Armed Forces of Malta's Operations' Centre at Luqa Barracks was alerted at 4 p.m. yesterday by the Marsaxlokk Port Control to a developing situation in a position two nautical miles east of L-Ahrax tal-Mellieha.

The Malta Maritime Authority's station had been informed by the Ro-Ro vessel, the MV 'Etel', that while located in a bunkering area, their four crewmen fell ill after inhaling fumes which initially left them unconscious and breathing with difficulty.

The AFM deployed an Air Wing Alouette-III rescue-helicopter as well as a Maritime Squadron Melita rescue-launch to the ship.

An Air Wing rescuer was winch-hoisted down onto the ship to assess the situation onboard and found all four casualties had regained consciousness. However, they were still rather weak and required further medical treatment. With severe wind and rough seas in the area, several attempts to evacuate the four crewmen by helicopter were made, before it was decided to have them transferred to the AFM's Melita rescue-launch.

By 5.43pm, all four crewmen were safely transferred to an awaiting Mater Dei Hospital ambulance and medical staff, purposely dispatched to Bugibba.