Prince William ferries ill oil rig worker

LONDON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- British Prince William completed his first air-sea rescue mission with the Royal Air Force, ferrying an ill oil rig worker to a hospital, an official said.

William was co-pilot of a four-man crew on an RAF Sea King helicopter that was sent to an offshore oil rig in Morecambe Bay off Cumbria Saturday, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday. They picked up a man who had suffered a heart attack and transported him back to the mainland where he transferred to an ambulance for the trip to a hospital.

"Prince William is pleased finally to be able to contribute to the life-saving work of the Search and Rescue Force," a spokesman for the 28-year-old prince said.

"He is proud, after two years of intense training, to be able to serve in one of Britain's foremost emergency services."

Squadron Leader Dave Webster said William performed "exactly as we would expect anyone new qualified to perform and to the standard that is required."

"The landing did have some minor complications caused by some moderate turbulence around the superstructure of the rig and the helicopter landing platform," Webster said. "It was nothing that they were not prepared for and nothing that had not been covered in their training."

The Telegraph said a source close to the prince disclosed William was "very happy to be cracking on with the job and to be part of such an important team."