Young paddleboarder blown out to sea rescued in Clare
Emergency services were alerted at around 4:30pm when it was reported that a young female paddle-boarder was unable to return to shore at White Strand, Miltown Malbay because of strong winds which were dragging her out to sea.
Advertisement
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard's marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry promptly mounted a multi-agency search and rescue operation.
The Doolin unit of the Coast Guard was alerted while the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was also dispatched to the scene. Rescue 115 had been training on the Aran Islands when the crew was alerted and tasked. The helicopter reached the scene at White Strand in less than 10 minutes.
It is understood that the young girl's father had tried to swim out to help her but was unable to reach her. He is believed to have gotten 'a good distance out' but according to one emergency services worker, 'she kept getting pulled out by the wind.' It's believe she was caught by an offshore breeze.
Two members of the public then entered the water and helped bring the father and daughter ashore.
Advertisement
Rescue 115 arrived at the scene at around the same time and landed nearby. The helicopter's paramedic assessed the girl and who was later handed into the care of the HSE's National Ambulance Service.
Just as Doolin Coast Guard team was about to launch its rescue boat, they were notified that the paddle-boarder had been located and were stood down.
Clare County Fire and Rescue Service swift water rescue technicians (SRTs) were mobilised from Ennis station.
It is understood that crews attached to the nearest station at Ennistymon were attending another incident at the time and were unable to respond to the White Strand.
Clare Civil Defence also mobilised volunteers to the incident to assist in the operation but were also stood down when it was confirmed the casualty had been located.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
5 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Asian hornet: Confirmed sighting in Ireland of insect that poses biodiversity threat
A new taskforce has been set up after a confirmed sighting of an Asian hornet in Ireland. The insect – also known as the yellow-legged Hornet – feeds on native bees and wasps, damaging biodiversity. Advertisement The individual sighting was made by a member of the public in Cork, and the hornet was captured. In a statement, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said the Asian hornet poses a "significant threat to biodiversity in Ireland", but the discovery was not a major public health risk. "The sighting has triggered a Government-led response with the establishment of a new taskforce," the statement said. Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan said hornets are a "threat to our native pollinators and our biodiversity". "We must take even a single sighting very seriously. NPWS [National Parks and Wildlife Service] responded quickly to this report, with a team of experts rapidly tasked to monitor and survey the area," he said. Anyone who suspects they have seen an Asian hornet is being asked to report it to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Dublin Airport flights suffer 278 bird strikes despite €600,000 spent on ‘scaring' measures
There have been 278 bird strikes at Dublin Airport in the past three years despite management spending around €600,000 on 'scaring' measures designed to keep flocks away from the runways. Aircraft also struck hares a total of 42 times during the same period, prompting Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to conduct catch-and-release operations that involved hares being relocated to Wicklow and Kildare. Advertisement Bird strikes are potentially lethal events that can cause significant damage to planes and can result in jet engines losing power. Affected aircraft often need to abort their takeoff or landing attempts. Last year, 179 passengers were killed when a Jeju Air flight crashed in South Korea following a suspected bird strike, while the landing of a US Airways plane on the Hudson River in 2009 following a collision with a flock of geese was the subject of the Hollywood blockbuster, Sully. Just last month, an Aer Lingus flight bound for New York was forced to return to Dublin Airport after it hit a flock of pigeons during its ascent. The pilots reported experiencing vibrations in the aircraft's right engine after the strike. Advertisement Documents released by DAA under Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) regulations show that 61 confirmed bird strikes were recorded in 2022, and this number more than doubled to 123 the following year. In 2024, a total of 85 bird strikes were confirmed at Dublin Airport, and another eight occurred during the first two months of this year. An additional 14 unconfirmed bird strikes have been recorded since 2022. Trained professionals are employed at the airport to scare birds in a bid to reduce the number of strikes, and around €200,000 is spent on bird-scaring cartridges alone each year, according to DAA. These explode in mid-air after they are fired, creating a loud noise that scares birds in the vicinity of the airport. A 'long-grass' policy is also used to make the airfield less attractive to certain species of birds. Advertisement Meanwhile, Dublin Airport is licensed to capture hares using a consultant approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). A total of 12 were captured and subsequently released in Wicklow and Kildare during the first two months of this year. Each catch-and-release operation costs around €1,500, according to documents released by DAA. A spokesman for the airport authority said the safety of passengers is a 'key priority'. 'Like all airports around the world, ensuring safety requires us to deal with and actively manage wildlife in the vicinity of our airfield, thereby minimising any risk to aviation,' he added.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Kayaker helicoptered to safety after getting into trouble off most southern point of Scotland
Lifeboat, coastguard crews and a Stena Line ship responded to the kayaker's mayday call. A kayaker had to be helicoptered to safety after getting into trouble off the Mull of Galloway. Lifeboat and coastguard crews, as well as a Stena Line ship, were involved in the operation after the kayaker issued a mayday call at around 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon. The combined efforts saw the person winched into the Coastguard's Rescue 199 helicopter and taken to Whitehaven Hospital. Lifeboat teams from Stranraer and Girvan, along with Coastguard teams from Portpatrick, Ballantrae, Girvan and Stranraer, were involved in the search for the kayaker, along with the Coastguard helicopter and the Stena Hibernia which had been on its way to Belfast. The helicopter found and winched them on board and flew them to West Cumberland Hospital, where Whitehave Coastguard had prepared the landing site. Stranraer Lifeboat team recovered the kayak and handed it to the Drummore Coastguard team. An RNLI spokesperson said: 'This was a fast-moving and potentially life-threatening situation. Thanks to the swift response and coordination between multiple RNLI, HM Coastguard rescue teams, the Coastguard helicopter, and the crew of the Stena Hibernia, the casualty was located and brought to safety quickly.' The incident was one of three call outs for the Stranraer Lifeboat and the Coastguard crews that day. Just after 3pm, the lifeboat was launched to two a broken down vessel in Wig Bay in Loch Ryan to safety. And just before 10pm the crew was back out to help the crew of cabin cruiser which had washed ashore at Port Logan. The boat couldn't be towed but the three crew members – one of whom was in the water – were taken to safety
