The Irish Coastguard is en-route to rescue an elderly man who has taken ill on a cruise ship off the south-west coast.
Last night the coastguard was called to assist the man when the ship - the MS Marina - was 800 nautical miles south-west of Ireland.
The man is understood to be a 79-year-old US citizen.
The coastguard says the man is "quite ill" but that there is a doctor on-board the vessel.
The ship is travelling from Canada to Cork. This morning the coastguard helicopter took off from Shannon.
Operations Manager with the Irish Coastguard is Declan Geoghegan. He says the helicopter will have to stop at an oilrig to refuel.
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