8 January 2018
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Baltimore RNLI was launched yesterday (Sunday 7 January) to provide a medical evacuation from Sherkin Island
The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from the Irish Coast Guard at 3.50pm to provide medical assistance and evacuation to an elderly man on Sherkin Island off the coast of West Cork.
Once on scene, the volunteer lifeboat crew administered casualty care before transferring the patient back to the all-weather lifeboat. The lifeboat then returned to Baltimore lifeboat station at 4.20pm and transferred the patient to the care of the waiting HSE Ambulance crew. There was a north-easterly force 4-5 wind at the time but sea conditions within the harbour were calm.
There were eight volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Coxswain Kieran Cotter, Mechanic Cathal Cottrell and crew members Brendan Cottrell, Jerry Smith, Don O’Donovan, Kieran Collins, Micheal Cottrell and Eoin Ryan. In attendance at the lifeboat station was Kate Callanan.
Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘The RNLI and other rescue/emergency agencies provide a vital service to those living or staying on islands around the coast of Ireland. If you are in difficulty on or near the coastline call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’
