An 11-year-old boy was seriously injured in an accident on a farm in Northern Ireland over the weekend.
The accident – which occurred on Saturday, July 22, prior to 2:00pm – involved a tractor on a farm in the Castlewellan area of Co. Down, the Banbridge Leader reported.
The child was reportedly airlifted by Air Ambulance Northern Ireland to Belfast, where he was transferred to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
This service would have seriously reduced the time it would have taken to get the child to the hospital for treatment. This is believed to be the first time the new air ambulance service was called into action.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) attended the scene of the accident and are currently investigating the incident.
It was also confirmed to AgriLand that the boy is still in hospital, but his condition is believed to be stable.
Recently, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) revealed that it aims to raise £100,000 (€113,530) for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland to mark its 100-year anniversary.
Until this year, Northern Ireland was the only UK region without an air ambulance; the service – which is funded through a charity – needs to raise £2 million (€2.27 million) a year to operate, according to the UFU.
This life-saving service will be a major benefit to farmers and rural communities across Northern Ireland, the President of the UFU, Barclay Bell, previously said.
In isolated rural areas it can be difficult for medical services to reach, treat and transport people. The air ambulance will help tackle that and so will save lives.
“It’s a service we hope we will never need, but if we do we would be forever grateful it is there,” he added.
