This article is from page 6 of the 2012-08-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
A 17-YEAR-OLD boy is recovering in hospital in Galway today after receiving head and neck injuries while diving in Kilkee on Sunday.
Limerick teenager, Killian Rae, received 30 stitches to a large headwound after he dived into shallow water at the East End of the pier in Kilkee just after midday on Sunday.
Mr Rae, who is a regular visitor to Kilkee with his family, struck his head off jagged concrete underwater the water and was airlifted to hospital. The Clare People understands that he has responded well to treatment and should be released later today, August 14, with no permanent neck or back damage.
The youngster was rescued from the water in a joint operation by the Kilkee Rescue Service and the Kilkee Unit of the Irish Coast Guard and was treated on site by the HSE rapid response unit.
The Shannon-based coast guard helicopter was dispatched to airlift the youth to hospital but it was unable to find a suitable landing spot close to the pier. Instead, Mr Rae was transported to the Kilkee Golf Club where he was airlifted from the first tee.
Spokesperson for Kilkee Marine Rescue Manuel Di Lucia said the lack of a dedicated helicopter landing site in Kilkee could put lives in danger in the future.
“It worked out okay in this situation – except that all the sand from one of the bunkers on the first tee was blown away – but this is not an acceptable situation.
We need a proper helicopter landing space closer to the pier in case of an emergency like this,” said Mr Di Lucia.