Video: Woman with head injuries rescued from the mid-Solent

The 24-year-old woman was sailing in the mid-Solent when she suffered a head injury. She was later airlifted to hospital for treatment.

Volunteers with the Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) evacuated the woman from a yacht in the mid-Solent after she suffered head injuries.

The 24-year-old was sailing onboard when she slipped down into the yacht’s hatchway, hitting her head in the process.

The crew of the independent lifeboat from Gosport were called out to the 40-foot vessel at just after 13.00 on 23 October, 2016.

Commenting on the incident, GAFIRS coxswain, Peter Brown said: “When we arrived we placed a lifeboat crewman on board the vessel and the casualty was assessed. She was conscious but had taken a nasty hit to her head.”

“We decided to evacuate the casualty from the vessel onto our lifeboat and recovered her by lifeboat to our station where additional medical care was immediately available,” he stated.

Due to concerns over the woman’s injuries and deteriorating condition, UK Coastguard tasked the rescue helicopter, Coastguard 104, from its base at Lee-on-the-Solent to assist with evacuation to hospital.

GAFIRS medical coordinator, Emma Neal said: “Due to the seriousness of the casualty’s condition it was decided that an emergency transfer via the Coastguard helicopter was the most appropriate response.”

GAFIRS worked with the Coastguard Hill Head Mobile Rescue unit and Hampshire Police to clear a helicopter landing site on the fields next to Gosport Lifeboat Station.

The helicopter’s paramedic team assessed the woman and subsequently evacuated her to Southampton General Hospital for further medical treatment.