Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
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.
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.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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.
They do a good job and get payed well for it.
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.
Is your avator meant to be ironic
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.
Great work get this dirty drug out of Ireland
Well done to the Gardai, they are doing a good job despite all the obstacles put in their way
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.
Nidge won’t be happy!
Can I hit the red thumb twice for the love hate jokes? .. Please Journal
Hahahaha
@baz – ‘joke’ implies it was funny, it wasn’t
Nidge doesn’t joke!
Great capture, heroin is a scourge across all societies. Hopefully there won’t be any punishment attacks as a result of this seizure.
At least it’s more productive that all the recent cannabis seizures!
Do a lot of the seizures seem to be in the Kildare area?
Or am I just misremembering?
Celbridge is the Baltimore of Leinster.
Would you like some cake fathers, theres cocaine in it! Oh sorry its those what do you call its…RAISINS!
Careful, the joke police are patrolling…
Hate that, somebody’s gonna be pi$$ed !
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!
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.
Gardai did well here but it is what they are paid to do…..
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.
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.
have your say