Coast Guard ends rescue midway into mission

A long-range medevac mission — thought to be one of the largest ever undertaken by the Irish Coast Guard — was dramatically stood down midway through the operation last night after the condition of the casualty improved.

The 79-year-old American man, who was a passenger on board the MS Marina, suffered a suspected stroke on Thursday night when the vessel was some 330 nautical miles south-west of Valentia.

The Shannon-based Rescue 115 coast guard helicopter launched a complex ‘deep blue ocean’ operation yesterday morning.