Maine Maritime Academy’s training vessel was forced to make an emergency stop in Sicily on Sunday when its captain fell ill and had to be removed from the ship.

The T/S State of Maine, which is currently in the middle of its annual 60-day training cruise, docked in Siracusa, Sicily, after Capt. Laurence Wade became sick, according to MMA public affairs director Jan Zenter.

“I can’t comment on the nature of his illness,” Zenter said Sunday night by telephone. “Our top priority right now is caring for him.”

Zenter has been in communication with Capt. Jeff Loustaunau, the ship’s commandant, about how Wade’s illness will affect the remainder of the training cruise. Zenter did say the T/S State of Maine will not make it to its next port of call in Odessa, Ukraine.

“There is nothing firm right now, but we’re trying to find another port,” she said.

Wade, who was removed from the training ship and is being treated at a hospital in Italy, will not return to the cruise, according to Zenter. Chief Mate Brendon McAvoy has assumed command of the T/S State of Maine.

While Zenter declined to comment on Wade’s illness, a statement on Maine Maritime Academy’s Web site said the captain was in stable condition.

“We are not certain what his illness is or to what extent he will require treatment. However, we are sure that at the time of departure he was in stable condition and is currently receiving the best medical help available,” according the statement, which was written by Loustaunau.

The training ship has a doctor and a nurse on staff, but both felt that Wade needed care they could not provide, Zenter said.

“They deemed it was serious enough that Capt. Wade be removed as expeditiously as possible,” she said.

The T/S State of Maine will remain in Siracusa until a medical assessment of Wade has been made and the captain has the support of his family, the statement said.

MMA’s training ship embarked from Castine on May 8 and made its way across the Atlantic to its first port of call in Gibraltar. The ship was supposed to arrive in Odessa, Ukraine, a port on the Black Sea, on May 31.

Odessa has been omitted from the schedule, but Zenter said the ship will make its next port of call in Split, Croatia, on June 8 as scheduled.

The T/S State of Maine’s ship log can be viewed online at www.mma.edu.