A CREWMAN had to be evacuated from a tanker after he suffered horrific injuries to his groin.

Teesmouth all-weather lifeboat took a doctor to the ship three miles north of Redcar, where 34-year-old Koushik Battacharjee was given emergency treatment.

The Indian man had fallen from a height directly on to a sharp, metal ledge and sustained a deep 4in split in his groin, and had lost a lot of blood.

The lifeboat took Dr Roger Smith aboard the 38,500-tonne motor tanker The Milide, and helped him provide treatment to Mr Battacharjee. They then stretchered him off the tanker and took him to Tees Dock, five miles up the River Tees.

A waiting ambulance took Mr Battacharjee to Middlesbrough General Hospital at about 6pm. Eventually he was released and it is thought the Seaman's Mission helped ensure he had adequate accommodation for the night.

Dr Smith said: "The message we had was that the patient had fallen from a great height and impaled himself upon a metal spike.

"Thankfully, it was nothing like as serious as that. The man had suffered a bad cut and it was potentially serious given the blood vessels in that area. However, it was not life-threatening. The crew of the Teesmouth Lifeboat did an excellent job as always."

Neil Marson, Teesmouth Lifeboat crew's honorary secretary, took part in the rescue. He said: "The man had obviously had quite a shock and there was a lot of blood.

"I understand he was working in the engine room when the accident happened and had a leg either side of the metal ledge. It was quite difficult to move the patient down the steps and on to the moving platform of the lifeboat without causing him further pain."