Search resumes in Co Clare after man seen falling from cliff

The emergency response to the incident included members of the Doolin Coast Guard unit which was stood down following a number of resignations in November

As well as the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard, the response included the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115, the National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat

A search is expected to resume again today for a person reported to have been seen falling from a cliff in Co Clare on Monday afternoon.

The emergency response to the incident included members of the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard which was stood down following a number of shock resignations in November.

Last month, all the units volunteers had their membership terminated with a commitment from the Department of Transport to reconstitute the service in the interim. 

A small team of members was then contacted and requested to make themselves available to respond to calls if required as part of the temporarily reconstituted team.

These members responded to this afternoon’s incident after the alarm was raised at around 3.00pm. Emergency services received a report that a man was seen falling from the Cliffs of Moher.

Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub-centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted and coordinated the multi-agency search operation.

As well as the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard, the response included the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115, the National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat.

Weather and sea conditions in the area were reported to be very poor with low visibility and sea swells of up to five metres. 

Soon after arriving at the scene, the Aran Islands lifeboat was stood down and returned to base while Rescue 115 was retasked to an incident on Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands.

Members of the Doolin Coast Guard unit conducted a cliff-top search in an effort to locate the casualty believed to be at the base of 702ft cliffs.

As conditions were not safe enough to conduct a more detailed search or effect a recovery operation, the effort was stood down at around 4.30pm but is expected to resume in the morning.

It’s also believed that divers from the Garda Water Unit will be requested to assist with the recovery operation.

The search is expected to resume on Monday for a person reported to have been seen falling from a cliff this afternoon. Photo: Press 22

In the meantime, a reconstituted Doolin team is now back ‘on the board’ and available to respond to emergencies when requested.

In a statement following November’s resignations of six volunteers, an Irish Coast Guard spokesperson said they acknowledged “the divisions that have unfortunately existed within the unit for a number of years, and recognises the strenuous efforts and leadership displayed by many members of the unit, its management team in particular, and other stakeholders to address these difficulties.”

Later, experienced mediator, Mr Kieran Mulvey was requested by the Department of Transport to visit Doolin and speak to the team members in an effort to find a resolution to the issues there.

Mr Mulvey’s report to the Department of Transport advised however that certain relationships within the Doolin Coast Guard Unit have irretrievably broken down and that the mutual trust, respect and confidence required to effectively operate a Coast Guard Unit does not exist within the Unit.

After Mr Mulvey completed his report, Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD, asked the Irish Coast Guard to begin the process of reconstituting the Doolin Coast Guard.

In accordance with the recommendations of Mr Mulvey’s Report, members of the Doolin Unit were permanently stood down.

The Department confirmed that the unit would be re-constituted in the short term by temporarily appointing volunteers who Coast Guard believe can work and operate together. 

“This will address the situation presented by the absence of a functioning Doolin Coast Guard Unit,” the Department said.

A broader appointment process will commence in due course with the view to permanently restoring the Coast Guard Unit in the Doolin area, the Department said.