Another drowning at the Blue Pool, Co. Clare

From the Irish Independent today:

Angler swept off rocks drowns in sea blackspot

By Pat Flynn
Monday July 02 2007

A MAN has drowned while fishing at a dangerous location which is notorious for freak waves.

The Moldovan national had travelled from Limerick with three friends to fish at the treacherous Blue Pool between Kilkee and Doonbeg in west Co Clare.

It is thought that, while the group were fishing there yesterday morning, he was swept off the rocks by a rogue wave. His body was recovered at around 3pm by the Kilkee Marine Rescue Unit.

Gardai are treating the incident as an accident.

They have spoken to the man's companions and several eye-witnesses.The alarm was raised after two of the four men returned to Limerick.

They are understood to have reported the incident at Henry Street garda station - prompting a search and rescue operation - before returning to Kilkee.

A garda spokesman said last night, "We are treating this incident as a tragic accident. We have spoken to several eyewitnesses."The man's body was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick where a post-mortem examination is expected to take place today.

Last November, while he was fishing at the Blue Pool, a 27-year-old Latvian man was swept into the sea, in front of his wife and child. The Latvian man had been living in Athlone.

On October 29th, a Polish man drowned when he was swept out to sea while fishing at Tullig Point, also in Co Clare.

Rescuers recovered his body after several days.

Only last week, a Hungarian student died tragically after falling from the Cliffs of Moher while taking photographs.

- Pat Flynn

its tragic - there really should be more signs plastered all over that place - in many languages

like i said a few weeks ago - even in glass like seas - the blue pool had swells up to 5m

its clear from the dynamite work that attempts have been made to address it down there - but all the same - you just have to walk a little further to get to it

its not worth it for a fish!

i suppose eejits will still try it even with the signs - knowing the risks

but for the uninformed they need to know what they are attempting

awful news

Theres a sign there no fishing that was designed for non-english speakers. Anyone that went out on any rock mark on the west coast last weekend was taking there life in there own hands. The only one who can blame themselves here are the ones that went fishing.

Donagh

Dear god, how many more people are going to have to die before a stop is put to this??

I think its fairly safe to say that these lads, mostly being from eastern Europe it would seem unfortunately dont have the knowledge to be able to decide when a place is safe or not to fish. They need to be educated, and I'm buggered if I know how thats going to be done. I have fished around that area frequently and when you are on a mark where the next stop is America, anything can happen, sea states can change in the space of a few minutes from flat calm to downright nasty. Swells can appear from nowhere and where was once safe enough is a maelstrom of raging water. To an inexperienced eye, a lot of these places can look absolutley fine and all it takes is a rogue wave and they are gone.

Its time a leaflet was put together explaining these dangers and distributed diligently from tackle shops, ethnic food shops etc both in the locality and the neighbouring cities of Galway and Limerick. These lads are buying their gear somewhere after all. Its all very well saying that the only people to blame are the lads who were fishing but we are dealing with people who obviously do not understand the risks involved here. To anyone who may be reading this post, for the love of God, despite what you may read to the contrary, dont venture onto these west coast rock marks without a lifejacket and if you dont think its 100% safe then stay the hell away from it. Its not worth paying the ultimate price for a few mackerel.

Theres a sign there no fishing that was designed for non-english speakers. Anyone that went out on any rock mark on the west coast last weekend was taking there life in there own hands. The only one who can blame themselves here are the ones that went fishing.

Donagh

No fishing signs may read "great fishing mark here....now it is not my fault on the off chance anything happens"......The dangers need to be explained. I mean how many get these directions to a fishing mark ..." ...and hop over the gate marked "no entry" (Being a city lad I do ask the owners because I have no idea of the code of conduct or what makes a Bull MAD :oops: :wink: ) Any way may he RIP.... he didn't stand much of a chance if his mates went to Limerick to get help :shock:

There was a discussion on rte radio after the last deaths in November. I can't remember who was being interviewed but it was a member of the rescue team. He said its basic common sense you don't go on a 10 foot rock platform with a 12 foot swell.

From memory the sign has a angler being swepth off rocks. Can't get any clearer than that. The radio disscussing the number of road deaths over the weekend pointed out no matter how clear the dangers we never think it will happen to us.

Saying that of course sympathys to the family. Accidents can happen to any of us. We just have to minimize the danger.

Donagh

Dear god, how many more people are going to have to die before a stop is put to this??

I think its fairly safe to say that these lads, mostly being from eastern Europe it would seem unfortunately dont have the knowledge to be able to decide when a place is safe or not to fish. They need to be educated, and I'm buggered if I know how thats going to be done. I have fished around that area frequently and when you are on a mark where the next stop is America, anything can happen, sea states can change in the space of a few minutes from flat calm to downright nasty. Swells can appear from nowhere and where was once safe enough is a maelstrom of raging water. To an inexperienced eye, a lot of these places can look absolutley fine and all it takes is a rogue wave and they are gone.

Its time a leaflet was put together explaining these dangers and distributed diligently from tackle shops, ethnic food shops etc both in the locality and the neighbouring cities of Galway and Limerick. These lads are buying their gear somewhere after all. Its all very well saying that the only people to blame are the lads who were fishing but we are dealing with people who obviously do not understand the risks involved here. To anyone who may be reading this post, for the love of God, despite what you may read to the contrary, dont venture onto these west coast rock marks without a lifejacket and if you dont think its 100% safe then stay the hell away from it. Its not worth paying the ultimate price for a few mackerel.

Pete for once you are 100% right.

May he rest in peace

Danny

There was a discussion on rte radio after the last deaths in November. I can't remember who was being interviewed but it was a member of the rescue team. He said its basic common sense you don't go on a 10 foot rock platform with a 12 foot swell.

From memory the sign has a angler being swepth off rocks. Can't get any clearer than that. The radio disscussing the number of road deaths over the weekend pointed out no matter how clear the dangers we never think it will happen to us.

Saying that of course sympathys to the family. Accidents can happen to any of us. We just have to minimize the danger.

Donagh

As you say you never think it will happen to you....any news on why they went home to Limerick to raise the alarm? Did I read it right?

seems a bit strange to me that theree are so many foreign nationals drowing on our coast line. as pointed out in earlier posts they are getting their gear and directions from somewhere. as much as i have respect for the dead and all it seems a bit foolish to risk your life for a few fish especially when fishing into strong on shore winds with big swells. Education education and education are the only solutions in my viewpoint

I think that Petekd made a good point here. Being an eastern European myself, I think that I’ll be speaking for everyone when I say that it’s a lack of experience to blame, not those individuals who go fishing.

A sign clearly stating / illustrating “Sea fishing ain’t lake fishing” will surely make hell of a difference as, once again, these and similar cases are not an example of ignorance but rather a lack of experience!

Deepest sympathy to their families.

My fiancé says: That is absolute BS that it is an “Eastern European” problem. An Irish fisherman without experience would have the same problem as an eastern European without experience. What does the area that you’re coming from matter? It’s a tragedy and it shouldn’t be a feeding ground for people to spout off their ignorant theories. You can post THAT on sea angerls.com!

I can add that in my opinion, it’s a lack of respect combined with a lack of experience.

And I think that we should talk about these and similar incidents...

I dont mean any offense by this Jan, but what your partner just said is nonsense in relation to the recent drownings. ALL have been of eastern european origin. Its not a slur in any way shape or form, its a statement of fact. Its not as she describes, an ignorant theory, we are not being in some way racist. Its what has happened. Yes, Irish people do also drown on our rocks, boats and beaches, but the fact of the matter is there is lots of english language information out there on sites such as this, information distributed by the RNLI and other bodies. I'm of the opinion that there isn't enough of this available for our fellow countrymen who hail from further afield and its high time something is done about it.

I’m not offended. I’m saying that it’s a combination of all three elements – lack of respect, lack of experience and lack of English skills but primarily lack of experience.

Btw, I have to admit that even I’ve been in trouble once (and had to leave my fishing rod behind)… That was down south in Cork area, more precisely in Garretstown, off the rocks with the tide coming in. Oi, …

Thats my stamping ground, and it can be all too easy when your standing on a skeer of rock to neglect to look behind you from time to time... Had wet feet once or twice myself.... :wink:

Was talking to one of the lads here in work earlier, he was telling me he'd been chatting to a lad who was one of the Doolin lifeboat crew. Said they're mad busy all summer, this year worse than ever. My mate asked him why, was it small boating accidents or what? The guy said no, the vast majority was East European anglers getting into difficulties on rocks where no one had any business fishing in those kinds of conditions. The lifeboat guys are pretty fed up with it down there. Seems we only hear about it when someone actually drowns, but only for the lifeboat we'd be hearing about a lot more...

I’m not offended. I’m saying that it’s a combination of all three elements – lack of respect, lack of experience and lack of English skills but primarily lack of experience.

Btw, I have to admit that even I’ve been in trouble once (and had to leave my fishing rod behind)… That was down south in Cork area, more precisely in Garretstown, off the rocks with the tide coming in. Oi, …

it is better to be offended than be dead I suppose ......I think another issue may be how the info on 'good' marks gets passed within a community and some of the safety information gets lost in translation or diluted at the far end of a Chinese whisper chain. I would suggest too that fishing rock marks on the Atlantic coast and beer don't mix just like swimming in surf/rivers after night clubs :( (dublin youth dround at 4.30 am monday morning @ Lahinch).

An inflatable life jacket for the rocks would be a good idea too (but I have yet to get one myself :oops: ).

Any good to see you are still with us after Cork!