Injured surfer taken to hospital

A surfer who dislocated his knee when he lost his footing on a slippery pathway is recovering from his injury at University Hospital Limerick.

The incident in Lahinch occurred late Thursday evening when the Doolin Coast Guard team was tasked by MRSC, Valentia. The surfer was returning to shore when he lost his footing on a pathway and dislocated his knee.

The team assembled and set up the climbing equipment. The HSE Ambulance Service was also tasked and arrived on scene a short time later.

Two climbers descended with a stretcher and the injured surfer was treated for pain and shock and his leg was splinted. He was then hauled to the top and taken to the waiting ambulance.

Meanwhile, the Irish Coast Guard Unit at Killaloe were involved in separate emergency incident the previous night when a woman in her 60’s, who had been walking in the Silvermines Hills in Tipperary with her husband, lost her way.

The pair became separated and the alarm was raised at around 11pm after the man had spent up to an hour searching in vain for his wife.

Gardaí commenced a search while other agencies were contacted and volunteers from the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard, who were returning from a river search in Limerick City, were diverted to the area.

Unaware of extent of the search that was underway, the woman kept walking until she found a public road where she was able to flag down a car which took her home.

The search was stood down at around 2am.