Lifeboat attends to cruise ship passenger

Kirkwall Lifeboat was requested to launch at 1.20am this morning by Shetland Coastguard to go to assist with a medical case onboard the cruise ship Hebridean Princess.

The lifeboat arrived on scene a few minutes later as the ship was at Rerwick Head heading for Kirkwall, where the crew transferred a casualty care team to assist the ships own medical crew.

It was then decided to wait until the Hebridean Princess was alongside in Kirkwall to transfer the patient, as it would be safer and by this time the patient had been made comfortable in their cabin.

Ambulance and Coastguard teams met the ship at Kirkwall pier and the patient was taken to the Balfour Hospital for further treatment.

Kirkwall Lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service again just before 3am.