A FERRY passenger with suspected meningitis had to be airlifted to hospital in a dramatic North Sea rescue.

The helicopter crew had to battle howling winds and driving sea spray to pluck the passenger to safety.

The team from RAF Boulmer, in Northumberland, was scrambled after a distress call to the Coastguard from the Princess of Scandinavia on Boxing Day.

The ship was travelling to Norway and was 120 miles east of Newcastle when the emergency call was made.

A woman, believed to be in her early twenties but who has not been named, had taken ill on the ship and the crew suspected she may have contracted the potentially fatal brain-bug meningitis.

But strong winds and fierce currents made the rescue mission treacherous for the four crew on board the helicopter.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Evans, who captained the helicopter, said: "The wind was very strong, which made even getting to the ship take a lot longer than it would have normally done. It took about an hour to get 120 miles.

"When we arrived, the crew on board the Princess of Scandinavia was having difficulty turning the ship around because of the strong currents, so we had to make the rescue with the ship drifting away from us.

"One of our crew with medical expertise was winched down to assess the casualty and she was put on a stretcher and winched into the helicopter.

"She was conscious but obviously very poorly.

"Ideally, we should have made straight for the hospital but, because it had taken so long to get to the ship, we had to refuel at a nearby oil rig before we could carry on back to shore.

"We landed at Wansbeck General Hospital, in Ashington, where there is a helipad, and the woman was immediately taken to intensive care."

The rescue operation took about four and a half hours.

Last night, doctors at Wansbeck General Hospital said test to discover if the woman has meningitis had not yet been finalised but a spokesman said she was in a comfortable condition.