A Spanish fisherman has been being airlifted to University Hospital Galway after taking ill on board a boat off the west coast this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the Irish-registered vessel off the coast of Slyne Head earlier this afternoon.

The 54-year-old man was winched from the deck of a fishing trawler at around 2pm and he was airlifted to University Hospital Galway for treatment for a suspected brain haemorrhage.

The trawler was about 150 kilometres west of the Aran Islands when the skipper alerted the Irish Coast Guard.