Man in his fifties is sixth diver to die off west coast in a month

A man who got into difficulties following a dive off the coast of Co Galway yesterday became the sixth diver to perish off the Irish coast in the past month.

The man, a member of one of three diving schools visiting Inishbofin off the Co Galway coast, was airlifted to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar but was pronounced dead.

The man, believed to be in his 50s and not from the area, was diving off the East End of Inishbofin close to Davillaun Island just after lunchtime when he got into difficulties.

The Clifden RNLI Lifeboat was tasked and the man was tended to by a nurse from Inishbofin and a medic visiting the island.

He was treated on board a vessel before being airlifted to Castlebar by an Irish Coast Guard helicopter where he was pronounced dead.

An islander said: “This man was with a group who are regular visitors and have been diving here for a long time.” The man’s name has not been released until his family have been informed of the tragedy. His death is the sixth diving-related fatality in the past month. At the weekend, experienced instructor Rev Dr Stewart Jones (57) from Strabane, Co Tyrone, died after he was struck by a freak wave off St John’s Point, Co Donegal. On June 14 Limerick diver John McNally, from Bruff, died at the mouth of Cork harbour, while also that day, a Polish national died off Malin Head in Co Donegal.

Both were 45. Earlier this month two English divers aged 61 and 66 died after getting into difficulties while exploring a German submarine off the Co Cork coast.