According to the Portuguese navy the 84-year-old man was evacuated from the ship when it was 27 miles south east of Portimão, in the Algarve.

The Navy said the operation was coordinated with the Search and Rescue centre in Lisbon, the emergency services and the air force.

In a statement the Navy stressed the passenger was showing signs of cardio-respiratory arrests deemed by the Lisbon Search and Rescue centre as a medical emergency requiring an urgent evacuation.

The passenger was picked up from the ship by a EH-101 helicopter belonging to the Portuguese Air Force just after 2am and arrived in Faro about an hour later from where he was taken to Faro hospital in a stable condition.