THE IRISH Coast Guard’s search and rescue helicopter network has said this summer is proving to be one of its busiest seasons on record.
Some 51 missions were flown in July from the four bases at Shannon, Sligo, Dublin and Waterford, and activity continued into August with eight missions during the past five days alone.
This week’s missions include last Monday evening’s call-out, when the Coast Guard’s Shannon and Waterford helicopters were tasked to search for the crew of the Fastnet race competitor Rambler 100, after it capsized several miles south of Fastnet Rock off the west Cork coast.
Shannon helicopter winch team Ciarán McHugh and Colm Hillary administered paramedic treatment to one of the 21 crew, Wendy Touton — partner of yacht owner and US multimillionaire George David. She was severely hypothermic when taken from the water by Baltimore dive boat Wave Chieftain, and was treated in Kerry General Hospital in Tralee before being discharged.
Tuesday proved hectic, with the Sligo helicopter deployed to assist in several mountaineering accidents in Co Mayo, including that of a climber who sustained a leg injury on Croagh Patrick.
Also on Tuesday, the Shannon helicopter was deployed to search for a missing person below the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare, and to assist five Italian tourists injured in a pony and trap incident on the Aran island Inis Mór who required hospital treatment in Galway.
On Wednesday, the Shannon helicopter was called to Kilkee, Co Clare, from where they flew a 67-year-old man to base, where he was transferred to an ambulance.
Also midweek, Shannon completed two medical evacuations in 24 hours from fishing vessels. An injured crewman was airlifted from the Nuvo Jundino, which had been fishing some 118 nautical miles west-northwest of the Blasket Islands, Co Kerry. Top cover was provided by the Sligo helicopter.
On Thursday, the Shannon team airlifted a Latvian fisherman with multiple chest injuries from the Achieve fishing vessel some 150 nautical miles west of Kerry.
Both medical evacuations were co-ordinated by the Valentia Coast Guard station, which played a key role in locating five missing among the 21 crew of the Rambler 100 on Monday evening – using US software and data provided by Co Clare meteorological company Nowcasting.
The Rambler 100 hull has been taken to Baltimore, Co Cork.