The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter has completed an offshore medical evacuation mission and airlifted a fisherman to hospital in Kerry.
The crew of Rescue 115 had been training at Scattery Island off Kilrush, Co Clare at around 3.30pm when they were contacted by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry and placed on standby.
Minutes later, the crew was tasked to respond to a medical emergency on board Spanish fishing vessel 80 nautical miles (149 kilometres) off the Kerry coast. Rescue 115 broke away from its training exercise and routed directly to Kerry Airport to refuel before flying west to meet the vessel.
The helicopter landed in Kerry about 12 minutes after leaving Scattery Island, took on fuel and was back in the air 15 minutes later, on its way to rendezvous with the trawler due west of Tralee Bay.
Rescue 115’s winchman/paramedic was lowered onto the vessel where the patient was assessed before being winched on board the helicopter. It’s understood the man suffered a cardiac arrest. The casualty was flown to hospital in Tralee and is undergoing treatment.
The Waterford-based helicopter, Rescue 117, was dispatched to Kerry Airport and placed on standby if assistance was required.
The Irish Coast Guard confirmed this evening that Rescue 115 conducted a “long range medical evacuation from a Spanish fishing vessel 80 (Nautical) miles off the SW coast. The mission was coordinated by Valentia Coast Guard Rescue Centre and completed by R115 Shannon based Coast Guard Helicopter with support from R117.”
