A crewman was finally admitted to hospital yesterday after breaking his leg in the middle of the Atlantic.

The 50-year-old Filipino was injured on New Year's Eve when a wave crashed over the bow of the Genmar Progress, a 52,000-ton tanker.

The Liberian-registered vessel was 1,000 nautical miles east of Bermuda enroute from Nigeria to Halifax, Canada, when the accident happened.

The ship diverted to Bermuda to seek medical attention but due to bad weather and strong winds, did not arrive until yesterday.

A Bermuda Maritime Operations spokesman said last night: "The medical transfer was completed at lunchtime. The ship arrived offshore mid-morning and the crew member was safely transferred by pilot boat and taken to hospital by ambulance."