A 55-year-old woman was winched up by an army helicopter after she found herself in difficulty in rough seas in Qbajjar, Gozo.

The incident took place at around 10:30am on Thursday. 

The police said the woman was struggling to get back to the shore. A police officer stayed close while the Civil Protection Department and Transport Malta were called to assist. 

Efforts to pluck her from the sea proved futile, and the Armed Forces of Malta had to intervene using a helicopter. 

The woman was eventually brought to shore where an ambulance was waiting. She was, however, uninjured.