Man dies following rescue operation off west coast
The Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter was involved in a rescue operation off the coast off the West Coast last week.
Rescue crews recovered three men who had clung to a life raft for nearly an hour after their fishing boat capsized and sank last Tuesday.
The Sligo-based Coast Guard helicopter located and recovered the three casualties at approximately 1.20pm off Eagle Island, off the coast of Co Mayo.
One casualty, a Mayo man aged in his fifties, was later pronounced dead at Sligo General Hospital.
The deceased - named locally as John Healy (57) - is originally from the Erris area of Co Mayo, while his two injured co-workers are also from the locality.
The Coast Guard operation was co-ordinated by Malin Head Rescue Coordination centre who picked up a mayday broadcast shortly after 1230.
The Sligo based Coast Guard helicopter and Ballyglass RNLI were immediately tasked to search the area.
The search was also supported by an Air Corps Casa maritime patrol aircraft which was airborne at the time.
At approximately 1.20 pm the Coast Guard helicopter spotted flares which enabled them locate the casualties.
The three casualties were recovered from the liferaft by the helicopter and were transferred to Sligo University hospital.
The three men, who are all experienced fishermen, are understood to have been crab fishing around 16 nautical miles from Eagle Island, situated off the Mayo coast, when the tragedy occurred.
Conditions at the time of the incident were cold and choppy.
Met Éireann issued a status yellow small craft warning at 10am on Tuesday, warning of north-easterly winds reaching force six at times yesterday afternoon, from Rossan Point in Co Donegal down to Roches Point in Co Cork.
There was a force five wind in the area at the time of the rescue, with a 3.5-metre sea swell, according to the Coast Guard.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board has launched an investigation.