Published Sunday, 26 August 2012
RNLI crew rescued the man near Cushendall. (© PA)
Red Bay RNLI rescued the man after he was spotted by a member of public a quarter of a mile offshore at 1pm on Sunday.
The man, from Ballymena, had been swimming alone and was observed waving in distress.
The lifeboat crew administered first aid to the man before an ambulance crew arrived.
He was taken to Antrim Hospital where he is in a stable condition.
"As we approached the swimmer in the water he was just about to give up and was just starting to sink below the waves," Paddy McLaughlin from RNLI explained.
"Luckily two guys entered the water and were able to get hold of him very quickly and we got him onto the lifeboat just in time.
"Everybody has got to be so vigilant around the sea, everybody should wear lifejackets, they've got to let people know when they are going swimming and I'd appeal to anybody again if they see anybody in difficulty in the water at sea, lift the phone dial 999 and ask for the coastguard."