An American man was saved by a rescue mission in West Cork after going missing while working on a farm. Emergency services including the Coastguard were called to the rural Trafask area amid reports of the man going missing.
The young US citizen was voluntarily working on a farm but concern was raised on Sunday as his whereabouts were unknown after not being seen since the previous night. A search and rescue mission was launched and found the man 'exposed and dehydrated' on an area described as 'rough terrain', reports CorkBeo.
A Rescue 115 helicopter from the Shannon Coast Guard was deployed as the teams split up to find the man in need. An hour and a half passed before police received reports of a potential sighting of the missing man.
One neighbour reportedly told the Gardai that they may have seen him the previous evening and gave an estimated location. The search party found him suffering from dehydration and exposure but he was said to be in good health.
He was placed on to a stretcher as the crew made the arduous journey back to easier terrain as emergency personnel waited to aid the man.
National Ambulance Service staff performed checks at the scene before the young man was airlifted to hospital to receive further medical treatment.
A spokesperson for the Castletownbere Coast Guard said: "The team was called out just after 3 pm this afternoon. A young American man who had been working for a farmer near Trafask, Adrigole, was reported missing since the previous night, and there was a concern for his wellbeing.
"After arriving at the scene, the CG team split into several search parties and started combing through the land while the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 carried out searches from the air. Some 1.5 hours in, the Gardaí at the scene received information of a possible sighting by a neighbour. The casualty was located soon afterwards on rough terrain about a mile away. He was suffering from exposure and dehydration but was otherwise in good health.
"After the initial assessment, the CG crew stretchered him back on the road, and he was taken to hospital for further treatment in cooperation between the National Ambulance Service (NAS) personnel from Castletownbere and the air ambulance.
"Tonight's incident was a great example of teamwork between the different agencies, and we are very happy with this good outcome for the casualty."
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