Ireland’s Lovely Cliffs Of Moher Scene Of Recent Accident And Tragedy
The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland is a tourist attraction offering a breathtaking view of the sea from several hundred feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland are 702 feet tall, five miles wide. A popular destination in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare have delighted visitors for hundreds of years. The last few days, however, have found the Cliffs of Moher in the limelight for an entirely different reason.
On March 14, two friends went surfing off the Cliffs of Moher in a popular area called Aileen’s Wave. Though gorgeous, and boasting of the closest thing to “the perfect wave,” accessing Aileen’s Wave in Ireland can be treacherous. Using a narrow goat track, the men made their way down the cliffs and out into the ocean to surf.
One of the men surfing off the Cliffs of Moher got separated from his group, and was reported missing by his friend to the Irish Coast Guard. Finally, rescue workers who were combing the area saw the man on a small beach. Since he was unreachable on foot, authorities sought help from Rescue 118, a helicopter search and rescue team based in Sligo. He was extracted from beneath the cliff around 9:45 that night and airlifted to University Hospital Galway, where he received treatment for hypothermia and minor injuries. This is one accident that thankfully had a happy ending.
Sadly, we can not say the same for a woman whose body washed up to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland on Monday. Even more difficult to extract than the stranded surfer, authorities from the Garda Water Unit devised a plan to recover the body, but to no avail. According to the Irish Mirror, divers decided to try to reach the body at low tide. A piece of the woman’s clothing was recovered, but no identification was found.
Love it! The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland: Drama, and Travel Tips http://t.co/5HMeqLXaxA via @WorldLillie pic.twitter.com/x6FxnrnrN4
— Dave & Deb Travel (@theplanetd) March 16, 2015
The pot of gold at the end of this rainbow? The view… #cliffsofmoher#LoveIreland@GoToIrelandUS@WildAtlanticWaypic.twitter.com/NF618AKpuK — Travelzoo (@Travelzoo) March 14, 2015
The sheer beauty of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland may be an awesome sight, but as with any natural wonder, great care must be exercised to avoid potential accidents such as those that occurred over the past weekend. Have you been to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland? Share your experiences here.
[Image via P.K. Executive Travel]
