A man has been airlifted to hospital after he was rescued from the sea in Kilkee this evening.
A search operation was launched shortly after 6.30pm when the Irish Coast Guard received reports of a person in the water in Kilkee Bay.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a search and rescue operation.
The National Ambulance Service and Kilkee unit the Coast Guard were tasked while the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was scrambled. The Aran Islands RNLI all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was also tasked along with of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Kilkee station.
It’s understood that an off-duty paramedic jumped into the water and held onto the man until additional help arrived.
Two men on a jetski also made their way to the area and recovered the man and that paramedic from the water. The jetski brought both men back to the slipway in Kilkee while the Coast Guard boat took the second jetskier on board and transported ashore.
When it was confirmed the swimmer had been located, the Aran Island lifeboat was stood down however, Rescue 115 remained in the area to await confirmation of whether the casualty needed to be airlifted to hospital.
The helicopter later airlifted the man to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
