A
sailor with suspected spinal injuries was rescued from a dismasted yacht in Dublin Bay.

The incident occurred shortly after 11am yesterday when the
33-foot yacht was taking part in a regular Sunday morning race on Dublin
Bay.

The mast snapped in the breezy conditions and hit the crew-member
leading to concerns for a possible spinal injury.

The Marine
Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC) in Dublin was alerted and the RNLI
lifeboat at Dun Laoghaire was requested to launch along with the Irish
Coast Guard helicopter at Dublin Airport at 1108am.

The disabled yacht
was located midway between the West Pier and the South Bull Wall.

The
operation was complicated by the collapsed rigging hanging over the
side of the boat that prevented the crew from using the engine. Lifeboat crew were able to board the vessel to deliver first aid
treatment and the winchman paramedic from the helicopter was transferred
on board to assess the casualty.

To minimise movement and
prevent a worsening of the suspected injury, it was decided that the
yacht would be taken in tow by the lifeboat to shore where a waiting
ambulance transferred the casualty to hospital for full assessment and
treatment.

The yacht was towed to a yacht club in Dun Laoghaire where
the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard unit winched the casualty to the waiting
ambulance.

Picture: Dun Laoghaire RNLI. Credit: RNLI/Dun Laoghaire