Teenager fractures skull in Kinnego Bay fall

A teenager sustained two fractures to his skull, a broken wrist and stitches in an incident at Kinnego Bay on Sunday evening.
The Sligo 118 helicopter pictured during the rescue operation.The Sligo 118 helicopter pictured during the rescue operation.
The Sligo 118 helicopter pictured during the rescue operation.

Greencastle Coast Guard unit were tasked to the area after being paged by Malin Head Coast Guard MRSC at 8.50pm.

A party of six teenagers from Inishowen and Derry, who had been rock climbing near Kinnego Bay, had got in to difficulty. One of the boys had fallen approximately 35 feet and required immediate assistance.

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Greencastle Coast Guard Officer in Charge, Charlie Cavanagh told the ‘Journal’ the alarm was raised when two of the party made their way back around the coast to the beach and alerted campers in the area. Two men who had been camping at the beach called the emergency services. They then went by kayak to the location and provided first aid to the injured casualty. Greencastle Coast Guard rescue boat arrived on scene at 9.12pm and landed crew ashore to provide assistance. The rescue boat then took three of the teenagers off the rocks and landed them to the safety of the beach, where they were checked over by waiting ambulance crew and received medical attention for cuts, bruises and hypothermia.

The Greencastle Coast Guard boat transported two HSE paramedics from the beach and to the casualty location. The casualty was then placed on a stretcher and transported by boat to the beach where the Sligo based Coast Guard Helicopter, Rescue 118, had landed on the beach. The casualty was transferred to the waiting helicopter and taken immediately to Letterkenny University Hospital. The injured youth suffered two fractures to his skull, required stitches and was treated for a broken wrist.

Greencastle Coast Guard Officer in Charge, Charlie Cavanagh, thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation at Kinnego Bay on Sunday.

Mr Cavanagh said the mission went smoothly and the weather conditions were favourable, allowing their rescue boat to gain access to the casualty’s location and also allowing the boat and helicopter to both make safe beach landings.

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He thanked the two kayakers for their prompt action in alerting authorities and for their assistance on scene.

Mr Cavanagh acknowledged a very professional job carried out in the joint operation involving HSE ambulance crews, Coast Guard Helicopter, Gardaí, Malin Head Coast Guard MRSC and volunteer members of Greencastle Coast Guard Unit and thanked everyone involved for their cooperation.