Beara RNLI's medivac of seriously ill fisherman

Beara RNLI battled 3-metre swells and 25 knot south-westerly winds on Tuesday night to carry out a medical evacuation of a seriously ill fisherman.

The lifeboat crew were tasked by Valentia Coast Guard shortly before 11pm, but difficult conditions off Sheep’s Head prevented two medivac attempts.

The lifeboat coxswain, Dean Hegarty, and his crew decided to escort the 27m fishing vessel back to the mouth of Castletownbere Harbour, where at 11.45pm the casualty – a man in his late 40s who had become seriously ill – was transferred on to the lifeboat in calmer waters.

The Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter subsequently airlifted the casualty and transferred him to Cork University Hospital, where his condition has been described as ‘comfortable.

Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat’s deputy launching authority, Brendan O’Neill, praised the crew for its rapid response to the call-out and thanked the Coast Guard for its cooperation.