RNLI rescue drowning man who fell from cargo ship

THIS is the dramatic moment a drowning cargo ship crewman was saved last night after he fell overboard from his vessel berthed in Cork Harbour.

The man, believed to be a Filipino national in his mid 20s, spent up to an hour in 12º Celsius waters before he was found by members of Crosshaven RNLI, who said he is lucky to be alive.

The man fell from the deck of the Kastro 190-metre bulk grain ship which was tied up at the deep water berth in Ringaskiddy some time after 6pm.

The alarm was raised at 6.24pm and Crosshaven RNLI’s Atlantic 75 inshore rib responded.

The three-man crew — Con Crowley, Vincent Fleming, and Denis Cronin — made the four-mile voyage in about eight minutes and were first on the scene.

They requested assistance from the navy, the county fire service and the HSE ambulance service and began searching the area.

They were told the casualty had been swept under the piles of the pier and they used heat sensing equipment to scan the area but couldn’t find him.

But RNLI spokesman Jon Mathers said the man then suddenly “popped up” and was hauled on board the rib in a “semi-conscious” state.

“He was wearing a boiler suit and had been in the water for about an hour at that stage and was extremely hypothermic,” he said.

Lifeboat medical officer, Dr John Murphy, administered first aid before he was rushed to Cork University Hospital where he was recovering last night.

The Port of Cork harbour master, Pat Farnan, praised the RNLI’s swift response.

The Greek owners of the Marshall Island-flagged vessel are expected to launch an investigation to establish how the man fell overboard.