Maritime emergency services were scrambled after a swimmer in the Minch was reported overdue in the dark.
Colin Macleod from Stornoway was found safe and taken onto the Cal Mac vessel MV Loch Seaforth which had diverted to the incident.
On the ferry he was assessed by a helicopter paramedic.
The casualty was later transferred to the aircraft and landed at Stornoway airport for an onward journey to hospital.
The emergency response launched around midnight.
Stornoway coastguard helicopter was urgently scrambled.
The Loch Seaforth was approaching Loch Broom on her overnight freight run when her skipper altered course in response to the alarm. The ship diverted south to the scene off Rubha Reidh lighthouse.
Stornoway RNLI lifeboat also launched to the incident.
A UK Coastguard spokesperson said they received an alert of an overdue person who was later found.
Updated: Overdue swimmer found
9 July 2018