AN RAF helicopter landed on Peel beach on Saturday evening after a severely injured fisherman was rescued by the emergency services.
The 25-year-old man had fallen on to a metal stanchion after a line broke on the deck of Belfast fishing boat Siobhan III eight miles south-west of Peel.
He was believed to have broken ribs on his right side.
A winchman was landed on the boat after the RAF Valley helicopter was called out at about 6.40pm following reports of a ‘blunt force trauma to the chest’. Due to the severity of his injuries, it was decided not to winch the fisherman on to the helicopter but to bring the boat into Peel breakwater.
It arrived in port at 9.15pm and, having been given strong pain relief, the man was helped up the steps to the awaiting ambulance which drove him to Noble’s Hospital. Having been called to prepare the helipad at Noble’s Hospital at about 7pm, the fire service and coastguard were called to Peel at 8pm to help clear the beach, where the helicopter eventually landed at 9pm, and to transfer the injured man off the boat.
Although the decision had been made to transport the man by road, the helicopter landed on the beach in case his condition suddenly worsened and also to collect its winch man along with his specialised equipment, which had also been lowered on to the boat. The helicopter returned to Anglesey, North Wales, at 9.35pm.
Following the arrival of the injured fisherman and his treatment at Noble’s Hospital, members of the Isle of Man branch of the Fishermen’s Mission arranged overnight accommodation and helped him organise flights back to Northern Ireland on Sunday morning. The Mission also arranged for the rest of the vessel’s crew to visit their colleague in hospital, prior to them sailing home to land their catch in Portavogie before the weather worsened as forecasted.
Fire station officer Nigel Fraser said: ‘This incident shows the dedication and professionalism of all the island’s emergency services and the RAF working together and providing a very high standard of care.’
The police also helped clear the area which was still crowded following the World Champion Viking Longboat Races.
• At 3pm on Sunday (July 22), the coastguard dealt with another incident. Port St Mary lifeboat was launched to help float a yacht which was trapped on rocks in Chapel Bay.