Members of the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) based in Co Clare will tell of their involvement in a major search and rescue operation in Mayo last year.
The ICRO volunteers will feature in TG4’s new series, Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann, which follows the brave men and women of the Irish Coast Guard, mountain rescue teams and community rescue boats across Ireland.
With dramatic footage and first hand testimonials, Episode 6, which will be broadcast this evening (Thursday) at 8.00pm, will feature one of the most vital rescue services in the country, the Irish Coast Guard helicopter search and rescue service.
Produced by Big Mountain, the team caught up with the busy crew of Rescue 118 based at Sligo Airport in Strandhill.
In this week’s episode, we’ll also hear how the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation got a call to assist in a sea cave rescue in Co. Mayo last September.
A man had been out kayaking and went into a sea cave, due to the large Atlantic sea swells he was unable to get back out of the cave and he became trapped.
A major multi-agency rescue operation involving the RNLI, Irish Coast Guard, Rescue 118, the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) and Gardaí was mounted after the alarm was raised. 14 hours after beginning the rescue, the team reached the man. He was distressed and very cold but had no major injuries.
The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation played a big and pivotal role in the man’s rescue from the cave.
The operation was coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre at Malin Head in Donegal and also involved Irish Coast Guard units from Killala, Ballyglass, Killybegs and Achill as well the Ballyglass RNLI Lifeboat, National Ambulance Service, Civil Defence, County Fire Service and An Garda Síochána, including members of the Garda Water Unit.
ICRO members Brían MacCoitir and John Sweeney will recount the team’s involvement in the rescue operation.
The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation, which is an all-island volunteer group, has a base in Doolin in North Clare.
