A DIVER with a suspected case of the bends off the coast of Portland was rescued by RNLI lifeboat crews and the coastguard helicopter.
Weymouth's RNLI all-weather lifeboat was launched at 3.15pm on Sunday July 25 at the request of Solent Coastguard HQ.
At the time of launching, it was not known whether an ambulance or the coastguard rescue helicopter would be available.
The lifeboat met a local dive charter vessel at the east side of Portland at around 3.30pm, where the diver was on board. The lifeboat transferred two volunteer crew members on to the dive vessel to assist with the casualty.
The casualty was eventually airlifted directly from the dive boat by the coastguard rescue helicopter at approximately 4.05pm.
With the casualty safely on his way to a recompression chamber the lifeboat was released and returned to station at 4.35pm where it was refuelled and made ready for the next shout.
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