A 27-year-old man has died after a boat capsized on the river Shannon in the middle of the night, throwing the four men on board into very cold water for more than two hours.
Rescue workers found three of the four clinging to the boat after the fourth managed to break free and raise the alarm. However, Noel Quinlivan, from St Patrick’s Villas, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, later died in hospital.
The boat capsized at Worrall’s End, Castleconnell, at about 4.30am yesterday. It had earlier been taken from a nearby boat club.
The vessel became trapped in debris and branches from a fallen tree, making the rescue operation extremely difficult.
ESB staff in Ardnacrusha reduced flow through Parteen Weir to help the rescue effort.
Mr Quinlivan was in the water for about 2½ hours before he was eventually rescued at 7am. He was taken to University Hospital Limerick where he was pronounced dead shortly after 4pm.
The other three men were treated for hypothermia and shock, while one of them suffered a broken leg.
The steel safety launch, which did not have an engine, was taken from outside Castleconnell Boat Club at about 4am. The club was only recently accessible after almost six weeks of flooding.
As soon as the boat was launched from the slipway, it appears to have been swept over fast flowing rapids on the river where water levels are still at very high levels. The boat became bent around a tree trapping the four men inside.