Dad falls to death in front of family
Sunday November 08 2009
A 34-year-old Polish man died yesterday after he fell 30 feet into the sea while fishing from rocks in Co Clare as his wife and 10-year-old daughter watched in horror.
The man had been fishing near Fanore in north Clare with his wife, daughter and a family friend when he apparently lost his footing and plunged into the sea below. The man had been living in Tullamore, Co Offaly, and had travelled to Clare on a weekend break.
The Doolin Unit of the Irish Coast Guard was at the scene within minutes as they had been taking part in a training exercise a short distance away. However, the team was unable to launch rescue boats as conditions were too dangerous.
The crew of the rescue helicopter from Shannon plucked the unconscious man from the water and airlifted him to University Hospital in Galway. But he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
The accident happened a few hundred yards from where a Frenchman fell to his death in almost identical circumstances last July.
- PAT FLYNN
Sunday Independent
