Winds sweep kite surfer 400m inland

A KITESURFER is in a critical condition in hospital after a powerful, freak gust flung him about the shoreline in west Cork at the weekend.

The man, who is in his 20s and believed to be Polish, was kite-surfing with a Polish and a French friend in Courtmacsherry Bay in Co Cork at around 5pm on Saturday when the wind suddenly changed direction.

Onlookers watched as the man struggled with his controls as he was lifted up to nine metres in the air, and was flung inland.