A MAN AND two children have been airlifted to hospital after they got into difficulty while swimming in Co Kerry this afternoon.

It was the second search and rescue operation mounted in the county in less than half-an-hour today.

The man and two children were swept out to sea while swimming in Derrynane at around 12.20pm. Lifeguards on duty at the beach responded and raised the alarm.

Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted and coordinated a rescue operation dispatching local resources and the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115.

The helicopter had been in the air responding to a call near Fenit and was redirected to the more serious incident at Derrynane.

In the meantime, lifeguards managed to help the two children ashore but the man was left stranded on rocks offshore and unable to make it back to the beach.

Derrynane Inshore Rescue, part of Community Rescue Boats Ireland (CRBI), sent a shore team to the area and volunteers waded out into the surf to take the man safely ashore.

After being assessed by paramedics it was decided that all three be airlifted to hospital. The man was reported to be “exhausted and losing consciousness”, while the two children are believed to be shaken but otherwise unharmed.

Rescue 115 airlifted all three to Tralee General Hospital for further assessment and treatment.

The Irish Coast Guard has praised the lifeguards for their “outstanding response” this afternoon.

Earlier, a multi-agency operation was mounted off Fenit Island in Kerry following a report that two people had been thrown overboard from a boat.

The incident occurred around midday when it was reported that a boat was out of control and travelling in circles near Barrow West north off Fenit Island.

Initial reports suggested that one person had made it ashore but that a second was unaccounted for.

The Irish Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation while issuing a radio message to any vessels in the area to assist and report back if possible.

Fenit RNLI’s all-weather and inshore lifeboats were tasked along volunteers from Banna Rescue CRBI. Rescue 115 was also dispatched to the scene.

As the helicopter made its way to the scene it was confirmed that both persons were taken ashore and while shaken, did not require medical attention. Rescue 115 was then redirected to the incident at Derrynane.