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LAST UPDATE | 21 Dec 2022
TROOPER SHANE KEARNEY, who was critically injured in an attack in Lebanon last week, has landed safely in Ireland.
The flight carrying him for a medical evacuation from Lebanon to Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel landed at 17:40.
The Defence Forces used a specially equipped, contracted medical aircraft for the flight.
A spokesperson for the Defence Forces said Trooper Kearney is now being transferred by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital to continue receiving medical treatment.
Trooper Kearney underwent surgery following the attack and in a statement this morning, the Defence Forces said he “is continuing to improve and he remains stable at present”.
22-year-old Trooper Kearney, from Killeagh in Co Cork, suffered a head injury in the attack in the village of Al-Aqbiya on Wednesday night.
The incident happened when a convoy of two Armoured Utility Vehicles (AUVs) carrying eight personnel from the 121st Infantry Battalion was travelling to the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
Private Seán Rooney (23) was killed in the incident, while two other soldiers received minor injuries but were discharged from hospital on Saturday.
The soldiers were part of 121st Infantry Battalion, comprising 333 Irish troops, which was deployed in November to south Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
Unifil acts as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel, neighbours which remain technically at war.
The force operates in the south near the border, a stronghold of Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Hezbollah security chief Wafic Safa has said the killing was “unintentional”.
Private Rooney was the first Unifil member to be killed in a violent incident in Lebanon since January 2015, when a Spanish peacekeeper was killed by Israeli fire.
Three investigations are under way into the attack: one led by the UN, another by the Defence Forces and a third by the Lebanese government.
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Wishing him a speedy recovery
Great news he coming home.
ALL IRISH TROOPS SHOULD BE BROUGHT HOME IMMEDIATELY!
@Sorcha Kane: No they shouldn’t, they do a vital role that lots of countries and people depend on.
@Sorcha Kane: go back to sleep
@Sorcha Kane: Good idea, Sorcha. Then we’ll just leave South Lebanon collapse into a lawless and chaotic wreck. Oh and we’ll completely disregard the memories of the 48 Irish troops that gave their lives to protect the people of the region too. Have another little look into your coffee cup and think again.
@Sorcha Kane: why ? Soldering is a dangerous job and our peace keepers play a vital role in calming tensions and prevention of conflict in the countries they operate in. Unfortunately soldiers will now and then be hurt or killed but removing all of them because of of this incident is not how soldiers operate and they themselves would not want to run away because of this . They have a job to do. A dangerous one but they will still do it and us proud
Wishing him a full and speedy recovery.
Why didn’t they send him home with his comrade
@Trisha McCormack: Was possibly still being treated.
@Trisha McCormack: it’s a medical evacuation in a specially equipped airplane and he may have been in a condition unfit to take the risk at that point. Among other reasons I’m sure. Wishing him a speedy recovery and best wishes to his family at the difficult time.
@Trisha McCormack: did you not read the article? He was critically ill. You can’t transport someone on a 12 hour flights whos critical.
@Trisha McCormack: because he was critically injured and is being transported on a medically equipped plane.
@Trisha McCormack: wasn’t stable enough to move and needed medical airlift aircraft unfortunately like many things in the defence forces we don’t have a long range aircraft….the troops give 100%all of the time without any doubt and they only get 40%back from the government
@Trisha McCormack: He needed an air ambulance, and had to be stable before he could be safely moved.
Best wishes lad
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