#RNLI - Following a pager alert at 9.25pm yesterday evening (Sunday 16 August), Arklow RNLI’s volunteers prepared to launch the all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchlearr to assist in a search for a cyclist reported to have fallen into the Avoca River.
The casualty’s reported location was about one mile north west of the lifeboat station, upriver from the Nineteen Arches Bridge, which meant the lifeboat would be unable to reach the location.
The decision was made to take the necessary equipment required to give assistance and proceed to the scene by car. On arrival, the lifeboat crew were met by Wicklow Fire Service, Garda, ambulance and coastguard personnel.
It was established that the casualty had fallen in the river on the south bank and had got to the inaccessible north bank of the river.
Two lifeboat crew members swam to the north bank and located the casualty, who was caught in thick brambles. The lifeboat crew reassured the him and started clearing away the brambles.
Meanwhile, a small rescue boat was launched with a fire fighter and lifeboat crew member on board. The casualty was carefully moved to the rescue boat and then brought across the river and handed over to the waiting ambulance crew, who treated the casualty and proceeded to hospital.
Arklow RNLI lifeboat operations manager John Tyrrell said: "I’d like to say well done to all involved – this incident involved almost all of our local emergency services.
"Through the inter-agency co-operation we all managed to save a life. Again this shows the importance of our emergency services training together to work together."