Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 100 was scrambled to the first incident, 85 nautical miles North West of the Butt of Lewis, at 0730 yesterday after receiving a call from Bremen Coastguard requesting the evacuation of a 37 year old crewman from the German fishing vessel Dirk Dirk.

The crewman had suffered a broken leg from a falling ice block.

At about 1400 another call from Bremen Coastguard advised that there was a further evacuation required after another crewman had suffered a broken foot. Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 100 went back to the vessel and carried out another flawless evacuation. Both men are now recovering from their injuries in the Western Isles Hospital, Stornoway.

The weather on both occasions was north to north-easterly 7 to gale 8, with high seas and extremely poor visibility at times in heavy snow showers.

Duncan Mackay, watch manager said: "Helicopter crew carried out a text book operation in testing wind and sea conditions to evacuate both the injured crewmen."

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