TWO health workers have spoken of their desperate attempts to keep an Irish tourist alive after falling ill at sea at Ladies Beach, Kusadasi.

Everyone from the healthcare provider to the pharmacist mobilized to the incident on May 30.

According to the information obtained, Irish tourist John Molloy (57), suddenly fell ill while swimming in the sea. The man fluttered in the water for a while, then remained motionless on the surface of the water. 

Citizens on the beach who saw the situation immediately took the Irish tourist from the water surface and took him to the beach. At that time, a paramedic on the beach, a pharmacist and citizens in the area gave him first aid. 

Upon the notification, the Irish tourist, whose heart and breathing stopped, was brought back to life with the help of the motorcycle medical personnel and other citizens who came to the scene in a short time. Despite the intervention, the tourist who was taken to Kuşadası State Hospital by ambulance died two days later.

Paramedic Oğuz Kaan Kuzubaşlı, who is working in Aydın Provincial Health Directorate Kuşadası Motorcycle Emergency Health Services, stated that he went to the area. He said: “As the Motorcycle Emergency Health Services team, we provided priority transportation because it is a closed area to traffic. 

Paramedic Oğuz Kaan Kuzubaşlı

“When I reached the scene, I saw that my other colleagues, who was on holiday in the region, began to intervene in the patient. A pharmacist and an intensive care nurse who was on vacation started to intervene. I took over from them and continued. Then we transferred our tourist to Kuşadası State Hospital by ambulance.”

Pharmacist Simla Taneri, who gave first aid to the tourist, said, “When I got news from my pharmacy, I was informed about the incident. I took my various equipment and immediately rushed to the scene. 

Pharmacist Simla Taneri

“During the incident, we intervened with the help of a medical woman’s heart massage and applied first aid. We opened the patient’s airway. Paramedics immediately came to the scene. In particular, motorized medical teams affiliated to Aydın Provincial Health Directorate provide the opportunity to reach the scene quickly from narrow streets.”