An Italian fishermen, who was injured while at sea, was brought to Malta by helicopter for treatment at St Luke’s Hospital yesterday.

An AFM statement said that at around 8.10am, the Operations Centre was informed that an Italian fisherman, on board fishing-vessel Pindaro, had accidentally had three of his fingers cut off.

The Pindaro was located some 139 nautical miles to the south of Malta and 2nd Regiment’s Air Squadron was immediately alerted to dispatch a rescue helicopter for a medical evacuation.

An Italian Air Force Agusta-Bell 212 helicopter took off at 10am, piloted by AMI Captain Emilio Rossini and AFM Sergeant Norbert Fenech.

In the meantime, the Pindaro had reduced its distance from Malta to 100 nautical miles. Once on the scene, at 11.10am, AFM rescuers Lance Bombardier Derek Pepe and Gunner Thaddeus Dimech ascertained that the fisherman required urgent medical evacuation back to St Luke’s Hospital and so he was winched on board by AMI Maresciallo Affetto Zona.

The 43-year old fisherman was transported to hospital for treatment.