A Ukrainian was airlifted to hospital after he was stabbed by a fellow cargo ship crewmember
A man is fighting for his life after being stabbed by a fellow crewmember on board a cargo ship.
The Ukrainian national was airlifted from the vessel in the Atlantic by the Irish coastguard in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The Sligo 118 coastguard rescue helicopter from Malin Head was deployed to the scene, 240 miles off shore, after the The African Star’s captain reported one of his crew was seriously injured following the stabbing.
The captain, who contacted the UK coastguard in Falmouth, also informed the rescue service that he had detained another Ukrainian crewmember after the incident.
Rescue crews flew the victim to Sligo hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
A Malin Head coastguard spokesperson said: “We were asked by the UK authorities to handle the incident.
“The 26-year-old man suffered a deep stab wound to the chest and the Sligo 118 was dispatched to the African Star before being flown to Sligo General Hospital for treatment.
“As a result of talks involving the captain and the ship’s owners it was agreed that the vessel would come into Killybegs.”
The 32-year-old detainee was arrested onboard a ship in Killybegs harbour this morning.