The continuing inquest into the death of Irish Coast Guard volunteer Caitriona Lucas off the Clare coast over seven years ago has heard that she was conscious in the water for almost 17 minutes after the RIB she was crewing on capsized.
As The Irish Times reports, Clare Civil Defence member Stephen Hayes described how he flew a drone to try to get visuals on the three crew of the Kilkee Coast Guard RIB.
Two of the three were rescued. Ms Lucas, a highly experienced member of the Doolin Coast Guard who was helping out Kilkee on a search did not survive after she was airlifted from the water.
Hayes said that the time stamp on the video recording of the incident indicated that Lucas lost consciousness at 1.27.50 or almost 1.28 pm, which was almost 17 minutes after the alarm was raised.
Irish Coast Guard volunteer Gary Kiely told the inquest that the Kilkee Coast Guard Unit had been short of members at the time.
At a meeting three days before the incident, Kiely said he suggested approaching some experienced members who had left the unit to return.
He said that Irish Coast Guard manager Micheal O’Toole said he didn’t think it was necessary given the time of year but promised to revisit the issue.
Kiely said that local knowledge was also important as the tide could often come around the headland into Lookout Bay with swells breaking into high waves.
Martony Vaughan, who had stepped down as officer in charge of the Kilkee Coast Guard Unit on September 11th told the inquest he had driven with fellow Coast Guard member Rose Keane to the cliff tops overlooking the scene of the capsizing as soon as the alarm was raised.
Vaughan agreed with maritime expert Michael Kingston, representing the Lucas family, that there was no Irish Coast Guard presence on the water at the scene for a period until the Irish Coast Guard Shannon-based helicopter arrived at 1.38 pm and airlifted Lucas from the water at 1.41 pm.
Read The Irish Times here