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A MAN RECEIVED leg injuries yesterday after he was struck by the propeller of an out-of-control boat.
The incident took place yesterday evening in Clew Bay, Co Mayo.
Emergency services received several calls of a small rigid inflatable boat (Rib) going around in ‘tight circles at speed’, sparking fears that whoever had been board was now in the water.
According to a Facebook post by Achill Island Coast Guard, who attended the incident, the local Achill Island lifeboat was first on the scene, and found a man in the water with leg injuries.
He is believed to have been struck by the propeller of the boat
The lifeboat crew winched the casualty to the Rescue 118 helicopter, and he was rushed to Mayo General Hospital.
The out-of-control boat was then brought to a safe stop and returned to Clare Island.
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I can’t see why people just don’t wear a kill cord.
There should be more water safety education to emphasise the importance of kill-cords.
It should be the equivalent of not wearing a seat belt in a car and a fine should apply, injury or not, as rescuers are put in danger every time this happens.
You beat me to it Garry, but it’s lack of training.
Did he fall out of the boat? If he wasn’t in charge of the boat what difference would a KC have made?
i aggree with you safety first. but maybe it wad an older type engine with no facility for a kc. It is easy to pass judgement when not knowing all the facts. for instance the artical does not mention that if he was wearing a life jacket. should we assume he was not and bash that fact too.
It would have stopped the engine and would have avoided the injury to his leg. The boat would not have been out of control and causing danger to himself or others. I personally seen this when out in the water and it’s scary.
You’re either making assumptions or know some facts not in the article. Please enlighten us.
It’s a reasonable assumption and also the most logical explanation. A kill cord would have stopped the engine dead and the boat wouldn’t have been out of control
Older engine is no excuse. If your equipment is unsafe, don’t use it.
UTV article on the same incident:
“A man was rescued from the sea in Co Mayo on Thursday after being spotted in the water beside his unmanned and out of control boat.”
You can now safely rest in the knowledge that the reasonable assumptions made by sone commenters were indeed correct.
Kill cord fitted to craft but not to sole occupant of the boat. He was wearing a life jacket. Life jacket probably saved his life.
Yep totally agree dead man cord not being used, this accident could have easily been avoided if people just use the equipment provided it’s not there for decoration. That being said hope he recovers. he won’t make that mistake again mind you.
The cox would have killed the engine wouldn’t he.
Fr Ted and the milk float incident comes to mind.
Always wear a kill cord. @Eugene Harrington. If he wasnt in charge the person who was just has to pull the kill cord to stop the boat immediately and avoid any injury. They are an essential piece of kit.
Ouch.. Think that woukd be sore now. Hope the person wasn’t to badly injured….
That’s awful. Hope he’s ok.
people should not be on small boats like the RIB here on the sea and certainly not on their own.
Why ?, I regularly go out on a boat on my own with others in their boats on their own.
have your say