Two fishermen die after being swept into sea off Clare coast

Major rescue operation launched after rogue wave swept two anglers from rocks at notoriously dangerous Clare fishing spot

The bodies of two fishermen have been recovered from the sea off the County Clare coast the afternoon. It’s understood that five men were fishing in Pulleen Bay at an area known as the Blue Pool between Kilkee and Doonbeg. Photograph: Press 22

The bodies of two fishermen have been recovered from the sea off the Co Clare coast on Tuesday afternoon.

It’s understood that five men were fishing in Pulleen Bay, at an area known as the Blue Pool between Kilkee and Doonbeg. 

Two of the men were washed off the rocks and into the sea by a rogue wave. The notorious location has been the scene of several tragedies in the past.

The alarm was raised at around 2.15pm, however initial calls to the emergency services suggested the incident had occurred in the Doonbeg River in nearby Doonbeg village. When further information became available, emergency crews were redirected to Pulleen Bay and a major search got underway.

The Kilkee and Doolin units of the Irish Coast Guard, as well as the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter, were tasked to the incident.

Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Kilkee station, the National Ambulance Service, Gardaí, and search teams from Clare Civil Defence were also alerted and requested to respond.

The Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat was dispatched from its station at Kilronan and commenced a search of the area. Sea conditions were said to be very challenging, with a large swell and high waves.

At around 3.50pm, the crew of Rescue 115 located a body in the water north of where the men are believed to have been swept off the rocks. The helicopter crew deployed a smoke canister to mark the location and directed the Aran Islands lifeboat crew to the scene. The first victim was quickly recovered from the sea.

Shortly afterwards, the helicopter crew spotted a second body in the water. They again marked the location with smoke and the second victim was recovered by the RNLI lifeboat crew.

The lifeboat crew transported both bodies to Doolin, where they were met by members of Doolin Coast Guard. Both bodies are expected to be removed by hearse to the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick, where post-mortem examinations will be carried out.

An Irish Coast Guard spokesperson said: “The Coast Guard extends its sincere sympathy to the family of the two anglers who lost their lives today. An Garda Síochána are in the process of liaising with the families of both men.”

Both men have yet to be formally identified, but it's understood they are non-Irish nationals, possibly from Central Asia.

The operation was coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre at Valentia in Kerry.

The Blue Pool has long attracted anglers to the area but is notoriously dangerous.

In November 2006, a Latvian man, aged 27, died in front of his wife and child when he was swept into the sea by a rogue wave while at the Blue Pool.

In June 2007, also at the Blue Pool, a Moldovan man was killed after he was washed from the rocks by a freak wave while fishing.

In September 2017 a Russian fisherman died at the same location. Several other tragedies occurred in the same area over the years.