A MAN who slipped and fell into the sea while shore angling on Achill Island, Co Mayo, on Saturday survived by treading water for about 90 minutes until a rescue helicopter winched him to safety.
The man, who did not have a lifejacket or other buoyancy aid, had to contend with strong currents.
“He certainly is a very lucky man,” said one rescuer yesterday, who did not wish to be named.
The man, who was later treated for hypothermia at Mayo General Hospital, is in his 40s and is visiting Achill.
He went shore fishing at a place known locally as White Stone Quarry near Dugort on the north side of Achill Island with a companion on Saturday.
Shortly after 2pm, the man slipped into the sea and could not get out because of a steep, slippery incline. Sea conditions were rough at the time with a force four or force five wind blowing.
The man, who is from the Birmingham area of England, was quickly swept out to sea by a strong current.
Ballyglass inshore lifeboat as well as the local Achill lifeboat were joined in the rescue operation by a coast guard rescue helicopter. The Sligo-based rescue helicopter took the man to Mayo General Hospital, where he made a good recovery.
In a separate development on Saturday, the crew of the rescue helicopter ferried a seriously ill person from Clare Island to hospital in Castlebar.
Later that day, the helicopter and local lifeboats searched for a windusrfer who was missing off the coast of Erris.
The windsurfer was found by Ballyglass lifeboat clinging to a rock between Ardmore Point and Cleggan Island and was taken to safety.