Achill Island RNLI launch to assist man in need of assistance at popular beach
The casualty was with his wife and two friends on the beach when he became unwell.
Achill Island RNLI were requested by the Irish Coast Guard to come to the assistance of a man initially reported to be in difficulty at Annagh Beach shortly after 3.30pm on Saturday last, August 23. Annagh Beach, on the north side of Achill Island, is inaccessible by road, and as a result, the Achill Coast Guard unit and Sligo-based helicopter, Rescue 118, were also requested to attend.
The 'Sam and Ada Moody’ quickly launched with a crew of 7 on board. The lifeboat slipped her moorings about 2 hours before high water with southerly winds at the time. The passage took the volunteer crew past Keel Beach and Keem Bay and around Achill Head on the western tip of Achill Island, before continuing to Annagh Beach on the north of the island. Rescue 118, the local Coast Guard unit and the Achill all-weather lifeboat all arrived on scene within minutes of each other.
The casualty was with his wife and two friends on the beach when he became unwell. A local doctor happened to be nearby and kindly offered assistance to the man. The services on scene consulted with each other and a decision was reached for the local Coast Guard unit to transfer the man, his wife and 2 friends, to the lifeboat which was standing by approximately 50 yards from the beach. Once safely on board the lifeboat the man was reassessed by the volunteer crew and casualty care was administered.
On leaving the shelter of the bay, the lifeboat encountered one metre swells on her starboard beam on rounding the tip of the island. This meant that the crew had to adjust the speed of the lifeboat for the comfort of their casualty and passengers on board, making the return journey (approximately a 50 mile round trip) somewhat longer than the outward journey.
Meanwhile, the National Ambulance Service was requested to meet the Achill lifeboat at Cé Bheag pier, close to Achill Island RNLI Lifeboat Station. Shore crew from the station were present to ensure that the pier was clear for the lifeboat to come alongside at approximately 6.30pm.The man was then carefully transferred to the care of the waiting ambulance crew for further assessment and onward transfer to hospital.
Speaking after the call out, Achill Island RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Eilish Power, said: “This is yet another example of a professionally coordinated multi-agency plan coming together for this man, whose day ended very differently to how he had planned it. We wish him a speedy recovery after his frightening ordeal. Thankfully, the right decision was made to call for help immediately so that all the necessary resources could provide the assistance he required. We thank everyone involved for their help.”