A GROUP of divers had a narrow escape on Saturday after strong currents swept them 600 metres out to sea after they got in to difficulty in Co Clare.
The seven men, all members of Athlone Sub Aqua Club in Co Westmeath, were rescued following a search and rescue operation after they were reported missing by the crew of their safety boat.
The group had gone diving off George’s Head in Kilkee Bay at about midday and had only intended undertaking a 30-minute dive.
At about 12.45pm, after they failed to resurface and their safety boat could not locate them, the alarm was raised by the coxswain of the safety boat who contacted Valentia Coast Guard Radio who in turn issued a “Pan-Pan” emergency broadcast to all vessels in the area.
Valentia Coast Guard Radio then co-ordinated operation which involved the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Kilkee Marine and Rescue Service and members of the Athlone Sub Aqua Club. Doolin and Kilkee Coast Guard units as well as Kilkee Sub Aqua Club were also alerted and rushed to the scene.
The Air Corps Casa fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft carried out sweeps of the bay.
At about 2.30pm the crew of the Coast Guard chopper spotted the men in the water close to Donegal head and alerted the rescue boats. The helicopter crew began airlifting the divers from the water and had taken two on board by the time rescue crews arrived on the scene.
Both men were taken ashore by the helicopter crew where ambulance personnel examined them.
No one required hospital treatment and the rescue helicopter was stood down. It is understood that the youngest member of the group was just 15 years old.
Kilkee Marine Rescue Service spokesman and founder Manuel Di Lucia said: “We can count these lads as the lucky seven. It was not a day for diving, to be honest.” They had drifted about 600 metres from where they should have surfaced, he added.
Saturday’s drama was similar to another incident last August, when seven divers were rescued after they also drifted away from their safety boat while diving in Co Galway. They were located in Kilkerrin Bay by the Aran Islands lifeboat after they had drifted three miles from their position.