The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter has completed a long-range medical evacuation (medevac) mission off the North West coast this afternoon.
Rescue 115 was tasked to assist Rescue 116 which is based at Dublin Airport and undertook the medevac operation.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre at Malin Head in Donegal managed the operation working closely with UK Coastguard and the Norwegian Coast Guard.
Rescue 116 was tasked at around 9.00am today to rendezvous with a Norwegian fishing vessel 160 nautical miles (296kms) West of Erris Head Co Mayo and airlift a seriously ill casualty to hospital.
Rescue 115 was dispatched from Shannon at around 10.40am to provide secondary support including communications top cover. The Shannon helicopter crew shadowed their Rescue 116 colleagues during the operation.
Volunteers from the Ballyglass unit of the Irish Coast Guard were requested to make their way to Blacksod Lighthouse to secure the helicopter landing site so that Rescue 116 and Rescue 115 could refuel before continuing to their area of operation.
The casualty was winched onboard Rescue 116 at 12.50pm and transported to University Hospital Galway. The patient was then handed over over the care of the HSE.
