Paramedic fell asleep and crashed ambulance after working 22 hours

The HSE is investigating how a paramedic who was working 22 hours in a row fell asleep at the wheel of an ambulance — writing off the €100,000-plus vehicle.

The Irish Examiner has learned that one of just four ambulances serving the rural West Cork region was involved in the incident at 6am yesterday.

It was returning from bringing a patient to Cork University Hospital.