Rock climber airlifted to hospital after 15-foot fall

A man was airlifted to hospital after he fell about five metres while rock climbing in Co Clare, it has emerged.

The accident happened yesterday afternoon at a well-known climbing area at Ailladee on the Lisdoonvarna to Ballyvaughan road.

The alarm was raised at around 3.30pm when an Italian man in his 30s was reported to have fallen about five metres (15 feet) while climbing a rock face.

The emergency services were alerted and a multi-agency effort to recover the casualty was mounted.

The Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard, National Ambulance Service and Gardaí were sent to the scene while the Shannon based search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 115, was also requested to assist.

The man was quickly located by Coast Guard volunteers who administered emergency first aid until ambulance paramedics arrived.

After being treated and stabilised by medics, the man was taken on board Rescue 115 and flown to University Hospital Limerick for further care.

The man is understood to have suffered multiple fractures but his injuries are not life threatening.

Emergency service have responded to several similar incidents in the same area in recent years.