Boy (9) in critical condition after falling into sea near Co Clare

A nine-year-old boy was reported to be in a critical condition in hospital last night after he was recovered from the sea.

It is believed he may have been in the water for over an hour before he was found by search and rescue crews.

The boy is understood to have fallen into the sea near the lighthouse at Blackhead in the northwest of Co Clare.

The alarm was raised shortly after 9pm and the Doolin unit of the Coast Guard launched their boats. Other personnel travelled to the scene by road and co-ordinated a shoreline search.

The caller reported that the boy’s father was standing on the shore and could see his son treading water.

The Doolin rescue boat reached the scene in less than 15 minutes. Gardaí also alerted travelled to the area.

The Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was also scrambled and, shortly after 10pm, the unconscious boy was located and taken on board and flown to Galway University Hospital.