Attempt to airlift injured fisherman from Ullapool boat abandoned due to weather conditions

An attempt to airlift a fisherman with a badly sliced finger off a ship north west of the Outer Hebrides had to be abandoned today because of "horrendous" conditions.

The alarm was raised around 7.15am by the Ullapool-based Adventurer 11, which was around 27 miles from the Flannan Isles.

The Stornoway-based Coastguard search and rescue helicopter attempted to airlift the injured man - who had suffered the wound to his ring finger on his right hand - from the 24-metre long trawler.

"But the weather was horrendous, with big swell and strong winds. It was just not possible to winch him off," said a spokesperson for the coastguard.

The man - part of the ten person crew - is said to be in a "stable" condition. The helicopter has returned to base and the trawler will be heading to Ullapool, said the coastguard.

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