Members of the Unmanned Aerial System (drone) team attached to the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard, successfully located a missing man in Co Tipperary last evening.
Shortly before 6.00pm, An Garda Síochána requested assistance from the Irish Coast Guard to locate a missing male in the Fiddane area of Newport .
The man’s family had expressed concern for his safety after he had gone walking earlier in the day but had not returned home.
Killaloe Coast Guard dispatched two land search teams and an all-terrain vehicle (ATC) as well as personnel trained in drone search operations.
Tipperary Search and Rescue were also tasked to assist in the search but were stood down en route.
A search involving local Gardaí and Coast Guard volunteers was carried out. At around 8.20pm the Killaloe Coast Guard drone team located the casualty and directed land teams to his location.
The casualty was found to be in overall good spirits but unable to walk after he’d fallen over earlier in the day. The man was assessed by Coast Guard first aiders and wrapped in warm blankets before being stretchered from the location to a roadway where National Ambulance Service paramedics were able to further assess and treat the person.
The injured man transported to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
The Killaloe Coast Guard team deployed a DJI M30T Drone which has proven to be a leader in the area of Search and Rescue.
