BEMBRIDGE lifeboat went to the aid of an injured crewman aboard an African oil tanker in thick fog off the Isle of Wight during the early hours of this morning (Sunday).
The RNLI crew was launched at 1.14am to meet the Liberian registered Catsali, which anchored off Sandown.
With thick fog hampering a coastguard helicopter rescue, Bembridge lifeboat rendezvoued with the vessel at 1.40am.
The Catsali had reported to Solent Coastguard that its master broke his ankle while the tanker was 35 miles south of the Isle of Wight.
The casualty had to be lowered 50ft from the Catsali to the lifeboat on a stretcher using the tanker's crane.
One of the lifeboat crew, Guy Willing, was aboard to co-ordinate the hour-long rescue.
Due to the fog on the Solent, the lifeboat arrived at Camber dock, Portsmouth, at around 3.40am, where they were met by an ambulance to take the casualty to the nearby Queen Alexander Hospital.