Woman Airlifted from Spit Bank Fort After Serious Illness
A 35-year-old woman had to be airlifted to hospital from a luxury hotel on Spit Bank Fort in The Solent after falling seriously ill.
Party Turns to Emergency Horror
The woman was at a party with friends when she began drifting in and out of consciousness around 10.30pm on Wednesday, May 9. Her worried friends quickly dialled 999 to raise the alarm.
Dramatic Rescue Operation Unfolds
- UK Coastguard mobilised two lifeboats from 1 & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS).
- Two ambulance paramedics joined GAFIRS crews at Stokes Bay to head out to the fort.
- The smaller inshore lifeboat (ILB) was first on scene, sending two crew members to assess the woman who was fitting and semi-conscious.
- GAFIRS coxswain Steve Ray said: “The ILB put two crew on board the fort to assess the casualty. She had been fitting and drifting in and out of consciousness.”
- Additional crew and paramedics were ferried to the fort as they prepared the woman for airlift.
Life-Saving Airlift to Hospital
Rescue teams prepped the fort’s roof for the winchman from Coastguard Rescue 175 helicopter, who descended to assist. The woman was carefully winched aboard and flown to Queen Alexandra Hospital for urgent treatment.
The entire rescue mission lasted nearly three hours and marked GAFIRS’ 28th operation of the year. Notably, GAFIRS operates independently from the RNLI and relies on its own funding.
