Injured fisherman rescued by helicopter

A MAN who was seriously injured on a Norwegian fishing vessel more than 150 miles off the west coast had to be rescued by helicopter yesterday.

It is understood the fisherman broke his leg and was taken to Cork University Hospital.

A Coast Guard helicopter reached the ship about 8.30am yesterday after being notified by satellite phone and a man was lowered onto it on a winch to help the injured fisherman.

However, his injuries were more serious than was at first thought and the helicopter had to refuel at Kerry airport before going back to take the fisherman to hospital at about midday.

A man was also rescued from the Mourne Mountains in County Down after he fell while out walking. He was found by two other walkers, who raised the alarm.

A helicopter sent from Dublin had to turn back because of severe weather and the man was carried down the mountain on a stretcher by the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team.

Meanwhile, two people were killed after their car struck a fallen tree in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, yesterday. The accident happened on Derrygonnelly Road around 8.45am.

The tragedy followed warnings to drivers to take care because gale-force winds had toppled a number of trees, blocking roads.

Two Antrim firefighters were also victims to adverse weather after a gable wall collapsed on them when they were fighting a house fire in Portrush early on Saturday morning.

They were rushed to the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Co Antrim, after colleagues pulled them from the rubble, and were in a stable condition yesterday.

One of them has been transferred to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and is due to undergo surgery.

The second is being stabilised at the Causeway before being transferred to Altnagelvin.

The blaze broke out at student accommodation in the Dhu Varren area of Portrush at about 5.30am, but is not being treated as arson. The house, which was extensively damaged, was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

A fire service spokesman said the windy conditions had caused the wall to collapse, trapping the two officers. Their colleagues quickly freed them from the rubble and administered first aid.

High winds also left thousands of homes without electricity in Northern Ireland yesterday after gales brought down power lines.

Emergency teams from Northern Ireland Electricity were trying to repair damage to the network.