The family of a man who died when the car he was driving veered off a track at a rally and overturned in a flooded stream have thanked the vehicle\u2019s navigator for his repeated attempts to save their loved one\u2019s life. <\/p>\n
An inquest at Cork Coroner\u2019s Court heard that co-driver and navigator Daniel O\u2019Brien made several bids to free Eoin McCarthy (22) from the car in the wake of the incident at the Killarney<\/a> Forestry Rally on February 20th, 2022. <\/p>\n O\u2019Brien told the inquest he had struggled to assist McCarthy as \u201cthe water was brown like oxtail soup … you could not see your hand in front of your face\u201d.<\/p>\n The incident occurred at Stage 4 of the rally as the car drove towards a narrow bridge that had no railings. <\/p>\n Barrister Derek Ryan extended his heartfelt thanks to O\u2019Brien on behalf of the McCarthy family for his assistance to their son. <\/p>\n O\u2019Brien told the inquest that McCarthy was driving at a speed of just 15km\/h when the incident occurred. <\/p>\n He said the Honda Covic car was driving between bales when its left wheel slid off the track. It tipped forward and then slowly overturned into the water below. <\/p>\n He said he and McCarthy had planned to take part in the rally championships together, with Killarney being their first joint event. <\/p>\n O\u2019Brien said he was \u201ccompletely submerged\u201d in the water at one stage. He didn\u2019t feel the cold because he was in so much shock, he said.<\/p>\n He said he was able to free himself from the safety harness and tried to open McCarthy\u2019s harness. <\/p>\n \u201cI tried to pull him under water. I tried to get a better lifting position. Eoin was stuck. His mouth and nose were submerged.\u201d <\/p>\n McCarthy was pulled free from the car by means of a rope and O\u2019Brien carried out CPR. He said at one stage McCarthy coughed in a \u201craspy\u201d manner. <\/p>\n \u201cHe gave a rattle cough. I tried to clear his airway. He took two breaths. I didn\u2019t see him breathe again.\u201d<\/p>\n Paramedics put McCarthy on a gurney on the river bank and continued to try to save his life.<\/p>\n O\u2019Brien said it felt like they were waiting for an ambulance for \u201ca long time\u201d.<\/p>\n