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Members of the Irish Coastguard on the East Pier in Howth, Dublin, during a search for a jogger which turned out to be a false alarm. Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Kitesurfer rescued from extreme weather conditions in Dublin Bay

In a separate incident, reports in Howth of a person being washed off the west pier into the water were found to be a false alarm.

Updated 17.41

A KITESURFER WHO got into difficulty in extreme weather conditions in Dublin Bay this morning was rescued by the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI Lifeboat.

The man had been kitesurfing about 150 metres from the shore off Sandymount, Co. Dublin before getting into trouble in breaking surf at around 10.40am.

The RNLI say that the the man then abandoned his equipment in an attempt to swim to safety but was prevented from doing so by the tidal conditions.

He then used a waterproof mobile phone to alert the Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Co-Ordination (MRCC) and the RNLI Inshore lifeboat  along with the Coast Guard unit from Dun Laoghaire were tasked to the scene.

The RNLI lifeboat was launched from Dun Laoghaire at around 10.50am with three volunteer crew members on board but they experienced heavy conditions at the harbour entrance due to the strong winds and rough seas.

The RNLI says that the lifeboat was operating at ‘extreme weather limits’ for its design.

The RNLI says that the lifeboat encountered breaking waves along the the entire shoreline from Blackrock to Sandymount before reaching the kitesurfer’s position which had been located by the Coast Guard unit in a shore search.

Due to the high risk of the lifeboat capsizing, the casualty was taken on board the lifeboat and returned to Dun Laoghaire instead of directly to the shore.

Stephen Wynne of Dun Laoghaire RNLI says that the rescue showed the skill of their voulteer crews.

“Despite the conditions, this rescue demonstrated the capabilities of this small but highly effective lifeboat and its crew. Considerable skill is needed to avoid capsize while rescuing a casualty.”

The rescued kitesurfer required no medical treatment when rescued and taken ashore.

image

A Coastguard helicopter at the East Pier in Howth, Dublin. (Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

Howth

In a separate incident, reports in Howth of a person being washed off the west pier into the water were found to be a false alarm.

A full team call out of the Howth coast guard unit was requested along with the Irish Coast Guard helicopter and Howth RNLI lifeboats after a member of the public reported seeing a jogger being washed into the harbour.

Following an extensive search in difficult conditions updated information from a witness was received and the search was stood down before noon.

The Irish Coast Guard say the call was considered a false alarm with good intent.

They have advised people not to walk along exposed areas of the coast line including harbour walls and seafronts with breaking waves.

Read: Heavy rain, strong gales and high tides causing flooding and road closures >

Read: Dún Laoghaire RNLI pay tribute to lives lost at sea >

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103 Comments
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    Mute Mjhint
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:02 AM

    good to see this crap taken off the streets. Tha gardai that do this type of work are the toughest bravest citizens in the state & no money could pay them to do it. They dont get enough of support.

    302
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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:24 AM

    They do a good job and get payed well for it.

    47
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    Mute Mjhint
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:31 AM

    Really? I suggest you go into the courts & see who they have to deal with before you consider their pay grade. I wouldnt or couldnt do their job.

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    Mute Richard Fennelly
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:54 AM

    Is your avator meant to be ironic

    39
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    Mute howsaboutya
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    Jan 18th 2013, 9:24 AM

    I don’t know enough to comment on how good or bad they are at their job. Fair play to them but nobody is forcing them to do it. It’s your opinion.

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    Mute Gerard
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:17 AM

    Great work get this dirty drug out of Ireland

    149
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    Mute Dave Bowery
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:39 AM

    Well done to the Gardai, they are doing a good job despite all the obstacles put in their way

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    Mute Keith Anthony Patrick Irish
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:52 AM

    Great find, that disgusting drug killed my sister, great to see such a big find and hopefully all involved wont see freedom for manys a year now.

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    Mute Rob Cunningham
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    Jan 18th 2013, 7:52 AM

    Nidge won’t be happy!

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    Mute Baz
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    Jan 18th 2013, 7:55 AM

    Can I hit the red thumb twice for the love hate jokes? .. Please Journal

    117
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    Mute Simon McGrath
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    Jan 18th 2013, 10:44 AM

    Hahahaha

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    Mute Cpm
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    Jan 18th 2013, 1:44 PM

    @baz – ‘joke’ implies it was funny, it wasn’t

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    Mute Rob Cunningham
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    Jan 18th 2013, 2:15 PM

    Nidge doesn’t joke!

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    Mute jim melia
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:32 AM

    Great capture, heroin is a scourge across all societies. Hopefully there won’t be any punishment attacks as a result of this seizure.

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    Mute Noel Magee
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:18 AM

    At least it’s more productive that all the recent cannabis seizures!

    62
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    Mute Damocles
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    Jan 18th 2013, 9:37 AM

    Do a lot of the seizures seem to be in the Kildare area?

    Or am I just misremembering?

    53
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    Mute Hugh Casey
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    Jan 18th 2013, 11:00 AM

    Celbridge is the Baltimore of Leinster.

    31
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    Mute Abi Dennis
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:30 AM

    Would you like some cake fathers, theres cocaine in it! Oh sorry its those what do you call its…RAISINS!

    47
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    Mute Rob Cunningham
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    Jan 18th 2013, 4:41 PM

    Careful, the joke police are patrolling…

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    Mute Bryan N
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    Jan 18th 2013, 7:54 AM

    Hate that, somebody’s gonna be pi$$ed !

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    Mute Thomas O Leary
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    Jan 18th 2013, 9:57 AM

    About time they found something other than cannabis. There is a lot more of the sh*t on the street to Gardai, Win for you now but a lot more work to do!

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    Mute Shane Hickey
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    Jan 18th 2013, 8:30 AM

    I just can’t get that in such a small country there are quantities bigger than this latest find stashed all over the place and its hard to find? Surely its being managed by a small number of people, all of whom will be known to the gards and customs.

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    Mute Richie Curry
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    Jan 18th 2013, 1:27 PM

    Gardai did well here but it is what they are paid to do…..

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    Mute Rob Cunningham
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    Jan 18th 2013, 4:46 PM

    Not very well I’m afraid. The pay doesn’t reflect the dangers there exposed to. After all the cut over the last few yrs it’s worse than ever before. Gardai don’t get enough credit.

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    Mute Nikolas Koehler
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    Jan 18th 2013, 6:43 PM

    Does anyone know how much of the 35kg was heroin and how much was cocaine? I’m trying to figure out what the official Garda value of a gram of either of these drugs is.

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