Five teenagers rescue man clinging to marker bouy.
The volunteers of Crosshaven lifeboat and Crosshaven Coast Guard were tasked yesterday evening to a report of a person in the water in the Ringabella/Fountainstown area.
The lifeboat crew received the pager alert at 7.32 pm and were enroute when information was received that 2 persons were in the water and clinging to a marker bouy near the back strand at Fountainstown.
On arrival, one adult had been taken from the water by a RIB which responded to the Coast Guard PAN PAN radio call and was handing the casualty into the care of Crosshaven Coast Guard at Fountainstown beach. The younger casualty had been earlier taken ashore by local business owner, Paddy Quinlan of Funkytown Adventure Centre and was being cared for by the Coast Guard. Paddy, who had a canoe near the shoreline, was alerted and quickly made his way to the scene by bicycle, before paddling out and pulling the child aboard. He then embarked again to the buoy, before working with the teenagers to get the second casualty aboard the RIB.
Rescue 117 helicopter transported the two casualties to Cork University Hospital for a check up.
The lifeboat crew on the service were Helm Ian Venner with Aoife Dinan, Susanne Deane and Jon Bermingham. Launch crew was Gary Heslin and Richie Leonard.
The RIB which responded was crewed by five 16 year olds who were fishing in White Bay (near Roche's Point), when they heard the PAN PAN call and responded immediately to the incident. Coincidentally, three of the RIB crew have RNLI connections. Jamie Venner is the son of Ian Venner who was also the Helm on tonights service, Cillian Foster is a brother to Caomhe Foster who is also Crosshaven RNLI crew and Richard McSweeney is the son of former Baltimore RNLI crew member Ciaran McSweeney. The other crew on board were Kate Horgan and Harry Pritchard.
Crosshaven RNLI commends the five youngsters for acting so professionally and swiftly in rescuing the casualty in need. Our future is safe in their hands.
Thank You to Crosshaven Lifeboat's Jon Mathers for sending us the information.