Spanish fisherman taken ill off West Cork coast brought ashore by lifeboat crew

Castletownbere RNLI had to contend with 3-4m swells and force 6 winds to reach the stricken man and his trawler

RNLI crews reaching the Spanish-registered trawler on Tuesday night. Picture: RNLI

Castletownbere RNLI helped bring an ill fisherman to shore on Tuesday.

Lifeboat crews said they received a call from Valentia Coastguard Radio to help the man, the skipper of a Spanish-registered vessel, shortly after 11pm on Tuesday night.

The RNLI lifeboat was launched within minutes, and the crew located the vessel at 12.09 miles southwest of Ardnakinna lighthouse, West Cork.

The crew had to contend with 3-4m swells and force 6 winds to reach the stricken man and his trawler.

The RNLI escorted the trawler back to the mouth of Castletownbere harbour, where a local pilot went aboard and took command of the vessel.

The ill man, who is aged in his 50s, was transferred to a lifeboat when the boats reached calmer waters.

He was then transferred to an ambulance at 2.10am and was brought to hospital for medical treatment and assessment.

Commenting on the callout, Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat deputy launching authority Felix O’Donoghue complimented the crew on its rapid response, and for maintaining strict Covid-19 protocols throughout the operation and the transfer of the ill man.

The RNLI crew involved in the operation were Coxswain Dave Fenton and crewmembers Marney O’Donogue, John Paul Downey, Kyle Cronin and Donagh Murphy.