An airlift by an Irish Coastguard helicopter of a sick English woman from Donegal to Sheffield was aborted after two hours on Saturday when it emerged that the aircraft had not been officially requested by the health board.
The cost of the operation is expected to run into thousands of pounds, and an inquiry is under way to establish who authorised it.
The woman, a Sheffield doctor in her 30s, is believed to have been injured when climbing in Co Donegal last week and was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital where she is suffering from pneumonia. Her condition is not thought to be critical.
It is believed the woman and her relatives were anxious that she return to Sheffield. However, the authorities at Letterkenny Hospital were reluctant to let her go because of her condition and a lack of medical personnel to travel with her.
An Air Corps helicopter was initially scrambled and due to arrive at Carrickfin airport to collect a west Donegal GP who was to travel to Letterkenny and from there to Sheffield with the patient. This helicopter, however, was withdrawn, and an Irish Coastguard Sikorsky was then sent.
The doctor drove 40 miles to Letterkenny where the Sikorsky helicopter had arrived from Dublin. However, on his arrival he was told that the hospital was not involved.
The general manager of Letterkenny General Hospital, Mr Chris Lyons, confirmed yesterday that they did not request the helicopter or the GP from west Donegal.
"The arrangements for the helicopter or doctor that were put in place were not done by the health board. There are only two people in the hospital - the senior nurse and the senior administrator on duty - that can request a helicopter, and we did not do this on Saturday."
A spokesman for the Irish Coastguard in Dublin said yesterday that he was not in a position to comment on who requested the helicopter.