Brave mum-of- two Caitriona Lucas has been described as a dedicated hero by family and friends.
The 41-year-old, from the small seaside town of Ballyvaughan, was killed during a search and rescue operation in Co Clare yesterday. Caitriona had been a volunteer member of the Doolin Coast Guard for the past 10 years, alongside her husband Bernard Lucas.
According to reports to today’s Irish Independent, she was part of a three-person crew travelling in an inflatable rescue boat who were searching for a missing man in Kilkee Bay. Her colleagues Jenny Carway (51) and James Lucey (49) were rescued some time later.
It’s understood the crew rescue boat got into trouble as it searched for the missing man near a cave. This is an area know for dangerous swells and it’s believed at this stage the boat capsized. A rescue boat managed to rescue Ms Carway from the water while Mr Lucey remained trapped on rocks at the foot of a cliff and was eventually winched to safety. There were heartbreaking scenes on the shoreline as family and friends received the news that Ms Lucas’ body had been recovered.
The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, has paid tribute to the “selfless” work of the Irish Coast Guard and he described Catriona’s death as casting a “dark shadow” over the Island.
Main Image: Waterford MSAR
