TWO PEOPLE WERE rescued early this morning after they were forced to climb on top of their campervan which had been cut off by the rising tide .

It’s believed the pair had been parked for the night near the shoreline on Carrig Island in the Shannon Estuary close to Ballylongford in Kerry.

They were cut off by the incoming tide and were forced to clamber onto the roof of their vehicle for safety. High tide at nearby Tarbert Island was around 5.39am.

The alarm was raised at around 4.45am when the National Ambulance Service received a report of persons in difficulty at Carrig Island.

The Irish Coast Guard marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry was also alerted and watch officers there mounted and coordinated a rescue operation.

An ambulance and two units of the fire brigade from Listowel in Kerry were first to arrive at the scene.

The Ballybunion unit of the Irish Coast Guard, the Shannon based search and rescue helicopter and the Kilrush (Clare) RNLI lifeboat were also tasked to the incident.

Fire service personnel managed to reach the stranded pair and take them safely ashore while the Kilrush lifeboat monitored the operation from the water.

The two people were assessed at the scene by ambulance paramedics but it’s understood they did not require hospitalisation.

Once it was confirmed the casualties were safe, Rescue 115 was stood down without having taken off from Shannon. The other resources returned to their bases soon afterwards.

Kilrush RNLI press officer Charlie Glynn said: “We ask that people respect the water and check the time and height of tide before venturing out, and also be aware of your surroundings and the tide’s direction.

Tides have a reputation for being unpredictable, but really they follow a timetable more reliable than most trains. 

Glynn also urged people to make sure they have a fully charged mobile phone in case they get into difficulty.