A MEDICAL evacuation has taken place on the Rampion windfarm after a crew member was taken ill.

Shoreham lifeboat and the coastguard helicopter were called to assist after the incident was reported at around 9.20am.

The coastguard helicopter was already searching Brighton seafront to try and find a missing swimmer but it was called away from the scene shortly after 10am to attend the construction eight miles off the coast.

The coastguard confirmed a medical evacuation was underway after a crew member was taken ill.

A spokeswoman for Shoreham lifeboat said the crew was called out to assess the scene – about 11 miles from the RNLI base – and assist but the coastguard helicopter took over as it was able to land on the platform and attend to the casualty.

The coastguard helicopter landed in East Brighton Park in Whitehawk to take the casualty to an ambulance to be taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

A spokeswoman for Eon energy, which runs the project,  confirmed the helicopter landed on a platform at the windfarm but the incident was not related to the construction and as such the company would not comment further.