Volunteers from Crosshaven RNLI were tasked to assist with a medical evacuation last night.
A fisherman on board a Portuguese crewed 12m fishing vessel became ill and required immediate
evacuation to hospital.
The pagers were activated at 10.22pm and the lifeboat with James Fegan in command and with crew, Susanne Deane, Jon Bermingham
and Alan Venner were quickly underway to intercept the casualty vessel as it headed for Cork Harbour. In slight seas, the
lifeboat was able to achieve 28 knots towards the vessel and met with the vessel about 4 miles south of Roches Point.
James Fegan transferred command of the lifeboat to Alan Venner before going onboard the fishing vessel to assess the casualty and
transferring him to the lifeboat for a speedy return to Crosshaven.
The lifeboat arrived back in Crosshaven at 11.30 pm and was met by the National
Ambulance Service who conveyed the patient to Cork University Hospital.
As the crew were Portuguese speakers with little English, the Valentia MRSC controller did a superb job of interpreting via radio relay
with the lifeboat crew and luckily, we also had a portuguese speaking crewman, Jeff Lacerda at Crosshaven who was able to interpret
for the Paramedics when the casualty was handed over to NAS.
Commenting on the service, James Fegan said the evacuation went like clockwork, in no small measure due to the Valentia
MRSC controller and Jeff Lacerda being able to communicate with the casualty vessel and casualty.
The lifeboat was refuelled, washed down and declared ready for service once more at 12.10am
