TWO MEN WERE rescued from the water by the volunteer lifeboat crew with Lough Ree RNLI today, but another man remains missing after the men’s boat capsized.
Following a major search for the man, the search was stood down for the evening.
It is believed man went missing when a boat carrying three men set off for Carnagh, from Hodson Bay in Athlone, earlier this afternoon.
Two rescued
Two men, who were on the boat, were rescued by the lifeboat crew from the water and have been taken to hospital. Rescue 118 and members of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club and Lanesborough SubAqua Club were also involved in the search for the third man.
The alarm was raised by a local man this afternoon when he witnessed the group setting off for Carnagh in a 15 foot boat.
Conditions on the Lough were described as gusty with a force five to six wind.
Lough Ree RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched and came upon a man in the water at 4pm. They recovered the semi-conscious casualty onto the lifeboat and transported him to Hodson Bay where he was handed over to a waiting ambulance.
The lifeboat crew immediately returned to the scene to continue the search and located a second casualty in the water at 5.15pm today.
Hodson Bay
He was again transferred by lifeboat back to Hodson Bay and met by ambulance.
The RNLI lifeboat crew along with the Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 and members of the Athlone Sub Aqua club and Lanesborough Sub Aqua Club were engaged in a full scale search for a third man until they were stood down due to fading light.
The search is expected to resume at first light tomorrow.
Commenting on the search Lough Ree RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Damien Delaney said:
This was a major search and rescue operation on Lough Ree involving the RNLI, Coast Guard, Athlone Sub Aqua, Lanesborough Sub Aqua, and other local boats. The lifeboat crew were able to rescue two men from the water but a third remains missing.
Our thoughts are with the men’s families this evening. We will be launching again at first light to resume the search.
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