A man has been airlifted to hospital in a serious condition after he got into difficulty while swimming in North Clare this evening.
The alarm was raised at around 9.45pm when it was reported that two swimmers had been pulled out to sea at Fanore.
The Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard, National Ambulance Service and Gardaà responded to the scene. The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was also tasked.
It’s believed that one person made it ashore safely while the second, a male, was taken from the water by the helicopter crew. A winchman/paramedic was lowered into sea to pluck the casualty from the water.
He was quickly taken on board the helicopter and flown to University Hospital Galway. The man is reported to be in a serious condition.
The operation was coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.