A passenger on board a cruise ship has been airlifted to hospital from 190 miles west off Erris Head.

The Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter conducted the medical evacuation of a passenger on board the Marco Polo cruise ship who was in need of urgent medical attention.

The UK Maritime Coastguard Agency requested the Coastguard to carry out the evacuation, and the rendezvous with the ship took place about 190 miles west of Erris Head shortly before 8.30 this morning.

The Coast Guard was due to being the patient to University Hospital Galway, but had to be re-routed to Sligo airport due to weather conditions.

The patient was transferred by ambulance from the airport to Sligo University Hospital.