A MAN has been evacuated by helicopter from an oil tanker due to a medical emergency.

Hillhead Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked with the evacuation in the Channel at around 10.40pm last night on the Nord Snow Queen.

The tanker was 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight and the patient was winched aboard a rescue helicopter before being flown to the coastguard base in Lee-On-Solent.

The casualty was then taken by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital.