A statement issued by Focal Maritime Services Ltd said that at 9.30am yesterday the company had received an urgent message from the master of the M/V Leader, belonging to United Feeder Services, that third engineer Boris Starodubchenko was badly injured and needed immediate attention.

The vessel could not make it to Malta Freeport Terminal, where she was originally intended to berth, due to gale-force winds and alternative arrangements had to be made to assist the injured engineer.

The AFM’s Rescue Coordination Centre was contacted for help and within 30 minutes they had despatched a helicopter to the M/V Leader, then 29 nautical miles off Delimara. Notwithstanding the adverse weather conditions, the AFM personnel managed to transfer Starodubchenko from the vessel to the helicopter and then to St Luke’s Hospital.

The company extended their appreciation to the AFM personnel for their courage and timely intervention. “It is a privilege for our country to have such men who brave the elements to save others,” their spokesman said.

They also expressed their thanks to the medical and other staff at St Luke’s Hospital.