Lifeboat and helicopter rescue woman off Dursey Sound

CASTLETOWNBERE RNLI were launched this afternoon and conducted a joint rescue with Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 of an ill woman on board a local angling boat off the West Cork Coast.

Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat was tasked by Valentia Coastguard Radio at 13:42 with a report of a 25ft boat near the Dursey Sound with a woman on board who had taken ill and was ‘unresponsive’.

The Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was also sent to the scene.

The lifeboat was launched within minutes under the command of coxswain Dean Hegarty with mechanic David O’Donovan and crew Joe Cronin, John Paul Downey, Aaron O’Boyle, Kyle Cronin and Donagh Murphy.

The lifeboat located the casualty near Blackball Head and two lifeboat crew volunteers boarded the vessel.

A first aid assessment was undertaken and oxygen was administered and the casualty became responsive. The woman was then transferred to the lifeboat. The helicopter winchman was lowered to the deck of the lifeboat and the casualty was airlifted to the helicopter at 15:05 and was then taken to Kerry General Hospital.

Commenting on the callout, Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul Stevens, complimented the coxswain and crew on its rapid response, the high level of teamwork and stated that the rescue was an ‘excellent example of joint collaboration between the RNLI and the Coast Guard’.