Ballycotton RNLI has rescued an injured fisherman who got his hand cut when attempting to untangle a net this morning.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their all-weather and inshore boarding boats at 8.30am after the man who was fishing at Ardnahinch raised the alarm.

The fisherman had been attempting to untangle a net which had got caught in his boat’s propeller when he got into difficulty.

The lifeboats made their way to the scene from Ballycotton where the smaller boarding boat on arrival was able to gain good access to the casualty vessel.

A crew member went onboard the boat and assessed the fisherman before applying a bandage to his hand. The man was then transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and given further casualty care by crew member Claire McCarthy who is also a nurse.

As the all-weather lifeboat proceeded to bring the fisherman safely back to shore, the crew on the boarding boat worked to set up a towline before bringing the fisherman’s boat back to Ballycotton.

Speaking following the call out, Ballycotton RNLI Coxswain Eolan Walsh said: “The fisherman who was wearing a lifejacket did the right thing this morning and called for assistance when he found himself in difficulty and we would like to wish him a speedy recovery following his injury.

“We would encourage everyone whether they are using the sea for work or leisure to always respect the water. Always wear a lifejacket and carry a means of calling for helping and know how to use it should you get into trouble.”