The Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard was called into action this evening while training on Lough Derg.
The volunteer team had been on exercise on the lake when they were alerted to an incident at around 7.55pm.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry advised Killaloe volunteers that a person who had been swimming near Two Mile Gate had complained of feeling unwell after exiting the water.
It’s understood the swimmer had been in the water over a number of hours and was reported to be showing signs of hypothermia.
The Coast Guard crew which had been on the water training in the unit’s D-class rescue boat responded to the area and reached the scene within five minutes of being alerted. A shore team also responded to Two Mile Gate from the Coast Guard station at Pier Head Killaloe.
The casualty was assessed by Coast Guard first responders while the National Ambulance Service was alerted and requested to mobilise resources. Coast Guard volunteers kept the swimmer comfortable and continued to assess his condition under paramedics arrived and took the casualty into their care.
At 9.45pm the unit was stood down and returned to base.
