with the airlift of a sick crewman from a vessel 1,000 miles off Bermuda.

The helicopter will fly out to meet another vessel, when it is within range of the Island, which will have on board an ill Portugese man and a US parachute medical team, said a Harbour Radio spokesman.

The sick man -- who has severe internal bleeding -- is on board the Portuguese fishing vessel Cam Civet , 1,000 miles east of Bermuda.

The medical team were expected to parachute on to the vessel last night from a US Coast Guard C130 aircraft.

Later they were to meet with another vessel, the Hood Island , which will bring the medics and the casualty within helicopter range of Bermuda.

It is expected that the airlift will take place tomorrow and the man taken to King Edward VII Memorial hospital.