FIRE crews and paramedics were involved in a tortuous rescue operation in Southampton yesterday when a workman fell 30ft inside an American ship.

The man, who works for city-based welding specialists Stephens and Stuart, sustained head injuries when he lost his footing while inspecting a ballast tank inside the Philadelphia-registered American Cormorant.

The ship, which regularly transports American Navy craft, had been berthed at the city's Eastern dock since June 10, undergoing a refit and maintenance work by local sub-contractors.

And because the sub-contractor fell deep inside the ship, rescue crews had to use brute force to get him 50ft up to the deck after he was stabilised, sedated, and secured on a stretcher.

The operation, involving fire crews from Hightown, St Mary's and Redbridge as well as Hampshire Ambulance paramedics, took more than two hours.

After he was rescued from the confines of the 10,000 tonne ship, the man, believed to be from Chandler's Ford, was taken to Southampton General Hospital where his condition was described as stable.

Ship's master Charles Truelson said: "He was with our chief mate Noah Myrus inspecting one of the ballast tanks to see what work needed done when he fell off the ladder.

"The mate, who was beneath him at the time, said he heard come clanging and banging thought he had just dropped his flashlight and then he felt him fall past him.

"He was halfway down the ladder at the time.

"The mate checked to make sure he was alive. The guy was semi-conscious and wanted to get up and get out, but he was obviously very dazed. The mate then came back up to the deck and alerted myself and the rest of the ship's crew and we called emergency services.

"The paramedics and firefighters were here very quickly. After they made sure he was safe and had been sedated by a doctor they pulled him up through two deck levels.

"It was a tight squeeze because he was a big guy and he was struggling a little. And they saved time by taking him off in a basket attached to a fire engine ladder. I was surprised it managed to reach all the way but they did a great job.

"Our thanks have to go to everyone involved." Captain Truelson said it was not known if the Health and Safety Executive would be investigating the incident.

Nobody at Stephens and Stuart was available for comment last night.

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