NorthLink ferry diverts after medical incident

A NorthLink Ferries vessel, which diverted from course following a medical incident onboard, has now resumed its passage to Orkney.

MV Hjaltland had been due to arrive in at Hatston in Kirkwall at 11pm after departing Aberdeen earlier in the day.

However, shortly after 9pm, as instructed by the coastguard, the vessel made a planned change of direction and headed for sheltered waters off the north-east coast of mainland Scotland to ensure the patient could be safely evacuated.

A coastguard helicopter from Inverness was called to the scene.

A spokeswoman for the Maritime Coastguard Agency said that HM Coastguard had responded to reports of a medical incident onboard a vessel travelling to Kirkwall this evening, February 1.

The spokeswoman said that after being alerted at around 9pm, the Inverness-based helicopter was sent to the scene “to assist with a medical evacuation.”

Ship tracking websites show that the ship resumed its course towards Kirkwall shortly after 11pm.