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Updated at 8.15pm
THE IRISH COAST Guard helicopter has rescued a severely injured crewman from a Russian fishing vessel 140 miles off the coast of Kerry in difficult weather conditions.
The Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter was assisted in a search and rescue operation by the LÉ Róisín naval ship and the Waterford-based Rescue 117 helicopter.
Crew members from the LÉ Róisín boarded the Russian fishing vessel this afternoon and assisted in evacuating the crewman. It is believed he became injured in an accident involving fishing gear and may have suffered multiple broken bones.
Weather conditions were difficult for the long-range mission, with a strong west to south west swell and gusts of over 35mph.
Rescue 117 transported the injured crewman to University Hospital Limerick while Rescue 115 provided communication support and back up (known as top cover).
The mission was coordinated by the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia in Kerry.
A spokesperson for the Coast Guard that that this was the second operation in recent weeks where the LÉ Róisín assisted in an operation at sea.
Distress call
A distress call came from the vessel to the Dublin Marine Rescue Coordination Centre at about 9.30am this morning.
At the time the vessel was outside Irish Coast Guard’s search and rescue region, so it was passed onto the UK Coast Guard.
The UK requested the assistance of the Irish Coast Guard to carry out the mission and the Rescue 115 helicopter was tasked with the search and rescue.
The vessel came inside the Irish search and rescue region and the operation is now being coordinated by Valentia Coast Guard.
Rescue 115 began its journey at about 2pm this afternoon and arrived at University Hospital Limerick at about 7.30pm.
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Pretty sure that this ship was boarded by the navy over the weekend as well to check for fishing offences. Another rust bucket Russian factory ship that is basically raping and pillaging our fish stocks.
Exactly.
Hope this poor soul is ok. Would you look at the size of that fecking thing with all its’s trawlers feeding it. Biggest country in the world but fishes the shite out of one of the smallest.
Stock is on the high seas outside 200nm limit, not our fish I’m afraid.
Whats the range of those helicopters. Time wise?
Depends on many factors – these Sikorsky aircraft have 4 fuel tanks.
Between 4 and 5 hours, depending on a range of factors including conditions, payload etc..
@Steve stevenage: Steve , approx 90 mins each way ( 3 hours ) ..I think..Open to correction on that
@Steve stevenage: I watched a similar rescue (from the comfort of my couch) on tv the other night, Irish Coast Guard dispatched from Shannon to about 200 miles out, also to a Russian vessel. They had 4 hours worth of fuel so 2 hours maximum range, not including the time hovering during the rescue.
Range = Distance. Endurance = Time. The endurance depends on altitude flown, %throttle applied, air temperature, loading etc. This is usually figured out by referencing charts. But a quick check of the spec sheet, suggests the maximum endurance is 5.2hrs (at best endurance cruise airspeed), when equipped with an external auxiliary tank. Assuming less than ideal conditions and a safety margin, you’d be looking at about 4.5hrs.
Where are you getting that figure from Christopher?
Range highly influenced by weather, head wind / tail wind
Russian vessels fishing in irish waters, legal?
Rescue was 140 miles out. It’s possible they were fishing outside our territory and came in to meet the rescue mission. On another note this is one of these massive factory trawlers cleaning out the ocean’s and catching everything in their nets.
@Shane Carroll: Factory trawling needs to outlawed- Rapists of the sea.
Hopefully all involved in the rescue stay safe
The rescue call came to Dublin this morning at 9:30am and he only got to hospital in Limerick at 7:30pm.The poor ba$tard must of been in agony for those 10 hours especially with multiple broken bones.
More than likely doped up to his eyeballs with pain killers
Yes, a horrible ordeal for him.
By the look of that ship, the poor man will need a tetanus jab as well.
Russian painkillers at that.
Stealing our fish, where’s our navy? Over rescuing Isis in the med.
@Phil Keenan: Fishing outside our territorial waters. Came within our fishing limits to assist with the rescue.
Catch everything before it enters our waters! Floating industrial factories………
Maybe they got caught in one of their own submarines
or ours…
Good luck Russian fisherman.
The Irish Coast Guard rescuing this Russian will only encourage more of them to come to our shores.
@OpenBorders:
What would you have us do, so? Leave the severely injured to fend for themselves?
@Stephen Deegan: I think your sarcasm detector is broken.
Hang on a second… You call yourself OpenBorders. So, you don’t believe in borders. In your mind, should all and sundry not be welcome to fish our waters? Just as all and sundry are welcome to fish our social welfare system? I’m always confused about that aspect of the leftie loonies…
Must have hacked the emergency response system, some how for no apparent reason
Always in awe of these of these heroes.
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