A diver has been flown to hospital by helicopter with suspected decompression sickness.
The 42-year-old man, who has not been named, got into difficulty at around 12pm today whilst diving around seven miles off the coast of Eastbourne, near Sovereign Harbour.
A Dover Coastguard helicopter flew the man from Eastbourne District Hospital to Whipps Cross Hospital in London, which has a decompression unit.
It is believed that the man is suffering from the bends, a condition associated with diving.
A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance said: “We received reports of a 42-year-old man suspected of having the bends.
“Our crew took him to Eastbourne District Hospital and he was then taken by Coastguard helicopter to Whipps Cross University Hospital in London as they have a decompression chamber.”
The Coastguard helicopter could not land closer to the coast because of the Eastbourne Airbourne air show, which attracts thousands of people to the town.
A spokesman for Dover Coastguard: “Because of the air show and the horrendous amounts of people we could not use the car park.
“We used the playing fields next to Eastbourne District Hospital because it was the closest place to clear and from there we took him to Whipps Cross Hospital.”
The incident comes a week after a police officer died after a diving trip in the Channel.
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