A WOMAN remains in a serious condition after she was attacked by a cow at an ecclesiastical heritage site in Lower Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh.
The woman was walking her dog with her son on Devenish Island on Sunday when the incident occurred.
The woman is believed to be a tourist who had moored a private hire cruiser at the popular Northern Irish beauty spot.
Enniskillen’s RNLI crew were taking part in a routine training exercise when they were alerted to the situation by the Coastguard.
The RNLI volunteers found the woman while a lifeboat brought paramedics to the island to perform an assessment of her injuries.
She was airlifted to the South West Acute Hospital in nearby Enniskillen before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for further treatment.
A relative of the woman told the BBC that the woman had undergone surgery to her back and colon.
The woman’s dog was taken to a veterinarian but later died from its injuries.
An RNLI spokesman said: "Enniskillen RNLI and Rescue Water Craft attended the helicopter evacuation of an injured lady on Devenish Island.
"The volunteer crew, who were training at the time, were tasked by Belfast Coastguard and proceeded to the island.
"One of the crew stayed with the lady who had suffered back injuries while paramedics were transferred by the boat from the mainland.
"The Irish Coast Guard helicopter (Rescue 118) was tasked from Sligo and they airlifted the lady to the nearby South West Acute Hospital."
