A young man has died after he got into difficulty while surfing in Co Clare.
Gardaí confirmed they were alerted to the incident at Lough Donnell Beach, Co Clare on Monday morning.
Emergency services attended the scene and the man (20s) was airlifted to University Hospital Limerick in a serious condition. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The man is understood to be from Ennis and worked locally as a lifeguard.
The alarm was raised shortly after 8.00am when a person was reported to have been helped from the water at the beach, a short distance from Seafield, Quilty.
The Kilkee unit of the Irish Coast Guard was tasked to the scene along with ambulance paramedics and gardaí. The Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was also requested to assist.
It is understood that a number of off-duty lifeguards, who had been in the area, helped bring the casualty ashore and assisted him until emergency services arrived.
The casualty was treated at the scene by paramedics and then airlifted to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
The operation was coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.
In a statement, the Irish Coast Guard said: “The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter R115 this morning transferred a man to University Hospital Limerick. The casualty got into difficulty while surfing in Lough Donnell, Quilty, Co Clare. CPR was administered on scene and on route to hospital.”
