Update:
Monday – 9.25pm – The funeral arrangements for the late Fran Harding have been confirmed.
Monday – 10.10am – The man has been named locally as Fran Harding originally from Co Tipperary but who had living in Coolmeen.
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Mr Fran Harding. The Tipperary native hurled for two years with our Junior B team after moving to Clare.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
— CLG Éire Óg Inis (@CLGEireOgInis) January 13, 2020
5.45pm – Gardaí have confirmed that man was later pronounced dead in hospital. The man is understood to be in his 40s and from Clare.
A spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí in Ennistymon were alerted to an incident that occurred on Sunday 12th January at approximately 11am. A man (early 40s) had gone swimming at Lahinch Beach when two surfers noticed he was in difficulty.
He was removed from the water and taken to University Hospital Limerick. The man passed away later this evening. Investigations are ongoing.”
A man is in a critical condition in hospital after he got into difficulty while swimming in Co Clare this morning.
The casualty was plucked from the sea by an Irish Coast Guard helicopter and winched onto the beach at Lahinch where efforts to resuscitate him quickly got underway.
The alarm was raised at around 10.40am after a person was reported to have disappeared beneath the surface of the water at the popular Clare resort. It’s understood that a surfer spotted the man in trouble but was unable to reach him.
The surfer returned to shore to seek further help and raise the alarm. Several members of the volunteer Lahinch Surf Rescue group rushed into the sea and commenced a search for the missing man.
In the meantime, the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 115, and the Doolin and Kilkee units of the Irish Coast Guard were alerted and requested to respond to the scene. The Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat was also tasked to the incident.
The helicopter crew carried out a detailed search of the area and about 15 minutes later observed the casualty in the water. The helicopter’s winchman/paramedic was lowered into the sea and quickly recovered the casualty.
Coast Guard volunteers secured a safe landing site for the helicopter on the beach before the casualty was brought ashore. National Ambulance Service paramedics were waiting to take the man into care and commenced efforts to resuscitate him. It’s understood that two off-duty paramedics also offered assistance. Lahinch Surf Rescue members also assisted with the resuscitation efforts.
The man was then flown to University Hospital Limerick were he’s reported to be in a critical condition.