UPDATED: AIR AMBULANCE SCRAMBLED TO EMERGENCY ONBOARD RED FUNNEL FERRY IN EAST COWES

The Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance has landed at Red Funnel’s East Cowes terminal this morning (Monday) in response to a medical emergency onboard the Red Osprey. The out-of-area helicopter and its specialist crew of doctors and advanced paramedics touched down in the lorry park just before 10:05, joining colleagues from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service. Police are also on scene. In light of the situation, Red Funnel has suspended its East Cowes-Southampton service until further notice. It’s understood the 09:00 sailing from East Cowes departed port but quickly returned to its berth as the situation emerged. It is the 2nd time that the Kent, Surrey and Sussex air ambulance has been to the Isle of Wight in the past 24 hours, carrying out a medical evacuation from St Mary’s Hospital to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth over the weekend. Elsewhere on the Island, the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance is currently responding to a medical emergency in the village of Whitwell in the South Wight. UPDATE @ 10:55 – The patient – understood to be an elderly male – has been removed from the ferry and is receiving further medical attention in the terminal building, with a view to airlifting them to a mainland hospital. The Red Osprey has now departed East Cowes, resuming the East Cowes-Southampton service. Delays are expected on the route for the remainder of the morning, with the 12:00 from Southampton delayed by 1 hour and the 12:00 from East Cowes by 2 hours. UPDATE @ 11:36 – Almost an hour-and-a-half after landing, the air ambulance has lifted off and is flying the patient directly to Southampton General Hospital. Emergency teams are now standing down from the incident.