A man has been taken to hospital after a suspected shark bite on the south coast of Ireland on Tuesday.

Five people were on board a small boat which was about four miles off Ram Head, Ardmore in County Waterford.

Ballycotton RNLI in Cork said it was called at 16:16 local time by the Dublin Coast Guard to assist a "five-metre pleasure craft" which had five people on board.

The man was winched on board the Irish Coast Guard's helicopter, Rescue 117 and taken to Cork University Hospital, where he remains.

Multi-agency response

After the alarm had been raised multiple agencies, including the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 117, Ballycotton RNLI and Youghal RNLI had responded to the incident.

Ballycotton RNLI 's all-weather Trent-class lifeboat, The Austin Lidbury, was launched at 16:30 and thanks to "calm sea conditions and good visibility" arrived about 17:10.

However Youghal RNLI and Rescue 117 were already at the boat where the incident happened and the two lifeboats were on standby as the man was taken from the boat.

Ballycotton RNLI was back at the harbour at around 18:15 that evening, where the lifeboat was refuelled before the volunteer crew continued with their scheduled weekly training session.

"This was a well-coordinated multi-agency response, with Ballycotton RNLI, Youghal RNLI and Rescue 117 working together to ensure that the casualty received urgent medical assistance as quickly and safely as possible," said the coxswain (the person who is in charge of a boat) on duty, Eolan Walsh.

"Incidents such as this are a reminder that conditions at sea can change quickly and that anyone heading offshore should make safety a priority.

"Ensure your vessel is suitable for the conditions, wear a properly-fitted lifejacket or personal flotation device, carry a reliable means of communication, and make sure someone ashore knows your plans."

This is not the first time people have been bitten by sharks off the Irish coast.

In 2018, a Belfast man who was angling caught a Blue Shark and was bitten while bringing it on board a boat.

His lower arm was seriously injured in an incident where he was helped by Crosshaven RNLI in Cork.