Death crash ambulance driver named

Gardaí today named an ambulance driver killed after his vehicle crashed while taking a patient to hospital in Cork.

John O’Mahony, from Ballinascarthy, Co Cork, died in the intensive care unit at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

The 42-year-old died after the ambulance he was driving crashed into a ditch at Tooreen on the main Bandon to Cork city road at 4.40am yesterday.

An ambulance technician and a woman being taken to hospital were also injured in the accident.

The female patient remains in a critical condition, while the technician is stable following hospital treatment, a spokeswoman at CUH said.

Following Mr O’Mahony’s death, Roy Cuthbert, acting chief ambulance officer for the HSE Southern Area, paid tribute to him.

“We wish to sympathise with our colleague’s close family members and friends, especially his wife,” he said.

“Our colleague was a valued, caring and experienced member of staff who had twenty years service with us in the ambulance service.

“He was always there to give support and assistance to everyone in need.”

Danny O’Regan, of the Ambulance Service HSE Southern Area, thanked emergency service staff who had assisted at the scene and the hospital, as well as emergency service personnel from around the country who had sent messages of sympathy.

“Our colleague fulfilled a life-long dream by graduating from University College Dublin as an Emergency Medical Technician and died providing the care in the service he was so proud of.

“He will be sadly missed by his colleagues within the ambulance service and everyone who knew him.”

Gardaí said they were investigating the crash, which happened as the ambulance was taking the patient to Cork University Hospital. No other vehicle was involved.