Valentia RNLI volunteers launched their all-weather lifeboat Saturday evening (8 May) to assist a fisherman with crush injuries to the chest on board a fishing trawler.
At 7.28pm the Valentia Coast Guard requested Valentia RNLI all-weather lifeboat to launch to an injured fisherman on board a 34-metre French fishing trawler. The vessel at the time was 32 miles west of Valentia. Weather conditions at the time were good with clear visibility, a force four North West wind and a three-metre swell.
Once on scene, one of our lifeboat crew members was transferred to the fishing trawler to administer casualty care to the injured fisherman who had sustained crush injuries to the chest. The lifeboat crew member assessed and treated the fisherman for the injuries he sustained, while liaising with doctors in CUH on the fisherman’s condition. Keeping weather conditions in mind and the condition of the fisherman, it was decided that the best course of treatment would be to airlift the patient to the nearest emergency department.
Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was tasked to the incident and rendezvoused with the trawler. The winchman/paramedic was lowered onto the deck of the vessel and taken below deck to the fisherman. With the assistance of the lifeboat crew, the injured man was brought out on deck and winched on board the helicopter. The fisherman was then airlifted to University Hospital Kerry for further treatment.
Speaking following the call out, Valentia RNLI Coxswain Richard Quigley said: The volunteer crew responded quickly and made the fisherman, who was in a great deal of pain as comfortable as possible until they were able to hand over to the Irish Coast Guard.