Marine rescue procedures are to be reviewed after an accident off the south coast in which a fisherman lost the sight in one eye.
The review follows a decision to send a lifeboat to the fisherman's assistance. An Air Corps helicopter was closer to the scene and could have carried out the evacuation in half the time, but was not informed of the incident by the Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES). It is understood the pilot only heard about it four days later.
The incident happened just over a week ago when a Kinsale trawler skipper, Mr Pat O'Mahony, was injured by a steel rope while hauling nets on board his vessel, Nozdei, eight miles off the Old Head of Kinsale.
The Courtmacsherry lifeboat was alerted at 13.07 hours and arrived at the scene at 13.45. It took the injured skipper to Kinsale pier, arriving at 14.20 p.m., where a doctor and ambulance were waiting.
The skipper's wife, Mrs Linda O'Mahony, has demanded to know why her husband was not airlifted by the rescue helicopter which has been deployed by IMES at Waterford airport since last July. The Air Corps Alouette was training in Dungarvan Bay at the time and could have been off the Old Head of Kinsale in 20 minutes. It was listening on radio emergency channel 16, and could have taken Mr O'Mahony to hospital within another 25 minutes, according to the service.
A spokesman for the Department of the Marine said IMES had been informed that the Waterford-based Alouette was on a training mission which would take it from Carnsore to Dungarvan. It heard no more from the helicopter and assumed it was in the Carnsore area at the time of the incident.
Reporting procedures between the Air Corps and IMES would be reviewed in the light of the occurrence, but IMES believed the decision to send the lifeboat was still the right one, the spokesman said.
The dispute comes at a time when IMES is due to extend its services to inland waterways. The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has secured Government agreement for his plan to extend the IMES remit. The new inland rescue system will use existing expertise and resources. The move follows a recommendation by the National Safety Council.
The Minister said his Department was examining the possibility of setting up inland response teams similar to the 60 voluntary IMES coastal units. It was also studying the possibility of extending coastal VHF radio to inland waterways. Earlier this week the Minister announced that a liaison agreement had been signed between IMES and the Civil Defence.
