A man and two children have been airlifted to hospital after they got into difficulty while swimming in Co Kerry this (Sunday) afternoon.
It was the second search-and-rescue operation mounted in the county in less than half an hour.
In Derrynane, a man and two children were swept out to sea while swimming at about 12.20pm. Lifeguards on duty at the beach jumped into action while raising the alarm.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard's marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island mounted a rescue operation, dispatching local resources and the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115.
The helicopter had been in the air responding to a call near Fenit and was redirected to Derrynane. In the meantime, lifeguards managed to help the two children ashore. A man was left stranded on rocks offshore.
Derrynane Inshore Rescue, part of Community Rescue Boats Ireland (CRBI), sent a shore team to the area and volunteers waded into the surf to take the man ashore.
‘Exhausted and losing consciousness’
After being assessed by paramedics it was decided all three should be airlifted to hospital. The man was reported to be “exhausted and losing consciousness” while the two children are believed to have been shaken but otherwise unharmed.
Rescue 115 airlifted all three to Tralee General Hospital for treatment.
Earlier, a multi-agency operation was mounted off Fenit Island in Kerry following a report that two people had been thrown overboard from a boat.
The incident occurred around midday when it was reported that a boat was out of control and travelling in circles near Barrow West north off Fenit Island.
The Irish Coast Guard launched a search-and-rescue operation. Fenit RNLI's all-weather and in-shore lifeboats were tasked alongside volunteers from Banna Rescue CRBI, and both persons were taken ashore.