CYPRUS: Briton airlifted after suffering heart attack on ExxonMobil drillship

A UK national who suffered a heart attack on an ExxonMobil drillship offshore Cyprus was airlifted by helicopter on Thursday to a hospital in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, Cypriot authorities said.

State radio said the condition of the 42-year-old British national is said to be stable.

He is a crew member of the ExxonMobil-commissioned drillship Stena Icemax exploring for possible oil and gas deposits offshore Cyprus.

Cyprus’ Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said it received on Wednesday evening an "urgent call" by a drilling vessel in the maritime area south of Cyprus stating that a crew member had suffered a heart attack and needed to be airlifted.

JRCC said it dispatched a police helicopter carrying a nurse to collect the patient and transfer him to a hospital but due to “adverse weather conditions” it was forced to remain on the drill platform until Thursday morning when conditions allowed for its take-off.

US energy giant ExxonMobil has a license to search for hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.