Update:
Friday, November 1st – 8.10am
Gardaí have confirmed that the driver and sole occupant of the car, a man in his late 70s, was taken to University Hospital Galway in a critical condition where he later passed away.
Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information, particularly any motorists who may have been in The Quay area Kinvara between 7:45am – 8:15am who may have dash cam footage to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact Gardaí in Galway on 091 538000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
The man has been named locally as Fr Anthony Minniter who was originally from Fanore in Clare and who served in parishes in both Galway and Clare.
An elderly man was in a critical condition in hospital last night after he was rescued from a car that had entered the sea in Co Galway.
A major multi-agency search and rescue operation was mounted shortly after 7.30pm after a car was reported to be in the water close to the pier in Kinvara.
It’s understood that locals enjoying the Halloween festivities ran to a local pub to raise the alarm. They reported that a car had entered the sea close to the pier in the picturesque village.
The Irish Coast Guard mounted a major search and rescue operation and alerted a number of agencies.
Units of the fire brigade from Gort and Galway City, several National Ambulance Service resources and Gardaí responded to the incident while the Galway RNLI lifeboat was launched and dispatched to the area.
The Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard travelled to the scene by road with one of their rescue boats in tow while the Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was also tasked to assist.
In the meantime, it’s understood a number of locals entered the water in an effort to reach the car. Fire service personnel, trained in water rescue, also entered the water as soon as they arrived at the scene.
Assisted by a local diver, they managed to break a window and drag the man from the car at around 8.30pm. Firefighters began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man as they brought him ashore by boat. Those efforts resumed on land and continued until ambulance paramedics arrived.
It’s also understood that a local trawler was used to haul the boat to the pier so that it could be recovered from the water by a crane.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, was rushed to University Hospital Galway for treatment where he was reported to be in a critical condition.
The crew of the Galway RNLI lifeboat continued a search of the harbour area while Rescue 115 hovered overhead providing illumination with its powerful lights. It had been feared there may have been a second person in the vehicle.
Members of Doolin Coast Guard carried a search of the shoreline however it’s understood there was no other person in the car at the time.
The search was stood down at around 10.15 while the scene has been preserved by Gardaí for further examination this morning. Gardaí are investigating the circumstances of the incident.
