Multiple call-outs for coastguard helicopter

A coastguard helicopter carrying out a medical evacuation from the Magnus Platform was expected in Lerwick around noon  after Shetland Coastguard was alerted at 9.30am this morning.

The medivac from the platform, about 100 miles north-east of Shetland, is the second from a North Sea oil installation in the past 24 hours and the fourth since Saturday involving the Sumburgh coastguard rescue helicopter.

Another crewman was evacuated from the Claymore Platform more than 100 miles south of Sumburgh and flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last night. Rescue helicopter R102 was tasked to pick up the casualty from Claymore at 6pm and returned to base around 10.30pm.

Yesterday morning at 7.30am the Sumburgh rescue helicopter airlifted a crewman with a medical condition from the Harding platform, 80 miles south-east of Sumburgh. He was landed at Sumburgh and taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital by ambulance.

R102 was also tasked to airlift a sick crewman from the Sedco 712 rig 75 miles west of Sumburgh on Saturday. The call came at 7.45am and the crewman arrived at the Clickimin landing site at 9.30am. He was taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital by ambulance.

Meanwhile a full emergency was declared at Sumburgh Airport yesterday afternoon when a Danish military Lynx helicopter with three people on board got into difficulties at around 1.40pm. However the matter was resolved on board by 1.50pm and the aircraft did not need to land. Fire crews from Sumburgh, Sandwick and Lerwick attended the scene, together with police and ambulance.