#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI came to the rescue of an injured fisherman who got his hand cut when attempting to untangle a net this morning (Friday 26 August).
The volunteer crew launched their all-weather and inshore lifeboats at 8.30am after the man, who was fishing at Ardnahinch in East Cork, raised the alarm.
The fisherman had been attempting to untangle a net which had got caught in his boat’s propeller when he got into difficulty.
The all-weather lifeboat, under coxswain Eolan Walsh and with five crew members onboard, launched along with the station’s boarding boat with two crew members. Weather conditions at the time were described as good with moderate Force 3-4 south-westerly winds.
The lifeboats made their way to scene 1.5 nautical miles from Ballycotton, where the smaller boarding boat was able to gain good access to the casualty vessel.
A crew member went onboard the boat and assessed the fisherman before applying a bandage to his hand. The man was then transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and given further casualty care by crew member Claire McCarthy, who is also a nurse. The casualty was treated with no further medical assistance required.
As the all-weather lifeboat proceeded to bring the fisherman safely back to shore, the crew on the boarding boat worked to set up a towline before bringing the fisherman’s boat back to Ballycotton.
Speaking following the callout, Walsh said: "The fisherman did the right thing this morning and called for assistance when he found himself in difficulty and we would like to wish him a speedy recovery following his injury.
"We would encourage everyone whether they are using the sea for work or leisure to always respect the water. Always wear a lifejacket and carry a means of calling for helping and know how to use it should you get into trouble."
