An exhausted windsurfer has been rescued from the sea in Co Clare this evening.
A member of the public spotted the man in the water off Cappa near Kilrush in West Clare and raised the alarm when they realised he was in difficulty.
The Irish Coast Guard was alerted and the Kilrush RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch. The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was also put on standby while lifeboat volunteers made their way to the scene went to assess the situation.
The lifeboat was launched at 4.55pm and reached the scene within minutes.
The man, understood to be in his late 30s, was taken on board the lifeboat and back to the RNLI station. After being assessed by lifeboat volunteers it was established the casualty did not require medical assistance.
It’s believed that the man suffered problems with his sail and had attempted to make his own way ashore, however, he became exhausted and unable to make it any further.
An RNLI spokesman said: “A member of the public saw the windsurfer in difficulty and called 999/112 which was the right thing to do. We always advise people to call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard if you see anyone in difficulty in or near water.”
Earlier, in the East of the county, the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard was called out to assist the crew of a boat that lost power on Lough Derg.
The volunteer team was tasked at 11.15am following reports that a 27ft vessel that had lost engine power and was adrift North of Parkers Point on the Clare shore.
There were two adults on board and they raised the alarm themselves by calling the Irish Coast Guard.
One crew made their way to the scene by rescue boat while other members travelled by road to Mountshannon to assist if needed.On arrival at the scene, the vessel was found drifting close to the shore but the two crew were safe and well. The boat was taken on tow to Mountshannon Harbour from where the two crew were transported home by the Coast Guard land crew.
Killaloe Coast Guard Unit was called out for a second time this Tuesday evening.
A 30ft vessel with two persons on board lost engine power North of Deer Rock on the Tipperary shore. The Killaloe Unit was alerted at 19:30hrs and requested to respond and assist.
A boat crew launched from their base at Pier Head Killaloe and was alongside the causality vessel within ten minutes of launching. The two people on board were safe and well and were wearing life jackets.
A Coast Guard crew member was transferred to the causality vessel and a tow line was set up. The vessel was taken on tow back to Killaloe where a shore team was on hand to assist the crew to tie up the vessel.
Tonights incident brings the number of Callouts for the Killaloe Coast Guard volunteers to 50 so far in 2018.
All three operations were coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.