Second medical evacuation of the week for Baltimore RNLI

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 9.20am, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medivac for a man living on Sherkin Island, just off the coast of Baltimore in west Cork.

The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew, accompanied by two HSE Ambulance crew, arrived at the pier on Sherkin Island at 9.25am and after a quick assessment by the paramedics, the casualty was brought onboard the lifeboat. The lifeboat departed Sherkin at 9.38am and arrived back to the station in Baltimore at 9.48am where the casualty was transferred to the HSE Ambulance for further treatment.

There were six volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Coxswain Brendan Cottrell, Mechanic Jerry Smith and crew members Eoin Ryan, David Ryan, Micheal Cottrell and Don O’Donovan. Conditions during the call out were calm with a southerly force 2 wind and a smooth sea state.

Two days ago, in the early hours of Sunday morning (20 September) the volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide a medivac for a woman living on Sherkin who had sustained injuries from a fall. The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew of six, Coxswain Aidan Bushe, Mechanic Micheal Cottrell and crew members Jerry Smith, Brian McSweeney, Maria Coleman and Stuart Musgrave plus two HSE Ambulance crew, arrived at the pier on Sherkin Island at 3.00am. The HSE paramedics and a member of the Baltimore RNLI casualty care team assessed and treated the casualty on scene and the lifeboat then departed Sherkin arriving back to the station at 3.57am.

Speaking following today’s call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘Baltimore RNLI regularly provides medivacs to people living on or visiting the islands around Baltimore and this summer has been particularly busy for our volunteer lifeboat crew. There have been 12 medivacs since the start of July. All of the medivacs were to people on Cape Clear and Sherkin Islands including one to an injured person aboard a yacht moored in Cape Clear. Please remember if you find yourself in a medical emergency whilst on an island call 999 or 112.’

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RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Kate Callanan, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Ireland, 087 290 6607, [email protected]

Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Ireland, 087 648 3547, [email protected]

Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Ireland, 087 125 4124, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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