A child was rescued by air after drifting 250 metres out to sea on an inflatable while spending a day at the beach in Co Wicklow over the weekend, reports The Mirror.
On Saturday evening (August 9), Wicklow RNLI volunteers launched the all-weather lifeboat following a page from the Coast Guard, who had received reports of a child drifting offshore near Newcastle.
The Irish Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 helicopter from Dublin was also nearby, having earlier carried out a training exercise alongside the all-weather lifeboat, reports The Mirror.
At 4:42pm, the crew’s pagers sounded after the Coast Guard received a report of a child adrift on an inflatable at Newcastle.
Under the command of Coxswain Nicky Keogh, the volunteer crew quickly launched the all-weather lifeboat RNLB Bridie O’Shea, reports The Mirror.
The crew sped towards the child’s location, but were stood down about 10 minutes after launching as Rescue 116 was still training in the area and had also been tasked to assist.
Rescue 116 located the child and airlifted them back to shore, while the volunteer crew returned to Wicklow harbour to prepare the boat for service again, reports The Mirror.
After the incident, Wicklow RNLI deputy lifeboat press officer Connie O’Gara appealed to the public about the risks associated with inflatables.
“The RNLI advice is to leave inflatables at home,” Ms O’Gara said in a statement, reports The Mirror.
“Blow up toys and airbeds are designed for swimming pools and not the open sea. The RNLI urges against the use of inflatables as they can easily be swept out to sea. We would also remind the public, if going on the water to please wear a suitable flotation device and to ensure you have a means of calling for help should you get into difficulty. In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard,” rt,m
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