'Missing' swimmer discovered taking nap
A MASSIVE search and rescue operation was called off early yesterday morning after a 'missing' swimmer was found safe and well sleeping in a tent in a local campsite.
Up to 100 people had been involved in the operation which cost tens of thousands of euro.
The man feared missing had been attending the Cois Fharraige music festival in the west Clare town of Kilkee with friends when he decided to go for a swim at around midnight.
The man -- in his 20s from Cork but who lives in Dublin -- left his clothing on the beach and began to swim out in to Kilkee bay telling pals he would meet them at an area known as the West End. When his friends arrived at the location however they couldn't see their pal and they returned to their campsite. When there was no sign of him there, they raised the alarm fearing the worst.
However, the missing man had emerged from the water at a different location and when he could see no sign of his friends he walked in to Kilkee in his underwear where he met another friend who gave him her jacket. The man then returned to the campsite apparently unaware of the unfolding drama.
In the meantime, a massive search operation was being mounted with as many as 100 people taking part. The search was coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre at Valentia Island in Co Kerry and initially involved Kilkee Marine Rescue Service, the local inshore Coast Guard unit and the Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter.
Units of Kilkee fire service and the Coast Guard Unit from Doolin, over 60 kilometres away, joined the search later.
Coastline
The rescue chopper carried out low-level sweeps of the area using its high-tech FLIR (forward looking infra-red) equipment which can detect body heat in low light. Local rescue units launched their boats and searched the bay while fire personnel, gardai and locals helped comb the beach and coastline.
After two hours rescuers began to grow increasingly concerned for the man's safety. Meanwhile, as part of the search, gardai travelled to the campsite where the men were staying and located their tents.
Initially they didn't find the man, however, after a while he was found sleeping in another person's tent.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said, "He had gone for a swim and when his friends couldn't find him, they raised the alarm. The man was found safe and well in his tent."
One rescuer said: "It is good that this man was found safe and well but his actions have to be questioned. It costs over €5,000 an hour to put the chopper alone in the air."
- Pat Flynn
