A passenger had to be airlifted off the Ben-my -Chree this morning. (Sat)

The middle-aged man was on the morning service to Birkenhead when he was taken ill.

A doctor on-board diagnosed appendicitis and Liverpool Coastguard was called at 9.20am when the vessel was around 30 miles from the Bar - roughly half way through its journey.

A SeaKing rescue helicopter from RAF valley was scrambled and the patient and doctor were airlifted from the vessel and flown to hospital in Bangor.

The operation ended at 10.39.

It's understood the man is receiving treatment.