A rescue mission was launched on Monday afternoon by RNLI volunteers after the Dublin Coast Guard reported a young woman being dragged out to sea on a paddleboard.
The call was received just after 2:00 pm on August 1, and volunteers in Skerries immediately launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat “Louis Simson.”
The lifeboat launched and was headed for Balbriggan harbour, where the woman and her paddleboard were thought to be located.
READ MORE: Irish Coast Guard and RNLI attended 1,100 incidents so far in 2022
The Dublin Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 116 and Skerries Coast Guard unit were both also brought in to aid the operation.
As the lifeboat was getting closer to the scene, they received an alert from the helicopter that girl had been separated from her board and was in the water - the helicopter kept its eyes on the woman and guided the lifeboat to her exact position.
According to rescuers, as they approached her she was ‘starting to tire’ and was ‘struggling to reach for the boat,’ according to a statement from the RNLI.
One of the volunteer crew entered the water and swam to her to keep her afloat and assisted her towards the lifeboat. Once on board, a first aid assessment was carried out and although she was tired and cold she did not appear to need any medical assistance.
The lifeboat was positioned into shallow water before one of the crew helped the girl to the shore where she was handed into the care of her parents and the Skerries Coast Guard unit.
The lifeboat then retrieved the paddleboard and the leash, which had become separated from the board before returning to the station in Skerries.
Speaking about the call out, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning warned: “Unfortunately we are seeing a rise in calls to paddleboards and kayaks. The breeze can take a person away from the shore quite quickly.
“Our advice is to always wear a lifejacket and carry a means of contacting the shore, even if you don’t intend on going far from the shore.”
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