#RNLI#RNLI - Arklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched on Saturday evening (9 June) following a report of a lone swimmer in difficulty and being carried out to sea.
A concerned member of the public had been out walking at North Quay when they spotted the swimmer.
After alerting fishermen at the end of the North Pier, they called 999 an alerted the coastguard, who in turn tasked Arklow RNLI to launch at 10.22pm.
The lifeboat and her crew were underway and en route to the casualty within minutes. Some fishermen and others on the quayside maintained eye contact with the swimmer and were able to give the lifeboat volunteers assistance with location.
In rapidly darkening but calm conditions, the lifeboat crew located the casualty around a quarter mile south of Arklow Harbour, and were able to recover the now tiring swimmer using the rescue A-frame.
The casualty was brought ashore at Arklow lifeboat station and was handed over to the care of the waiting ambulance crew and gardaí. The swimmer was found to be in good spirits and was brought home a short time later.
“We would like to thank the member of the public and the fishermen who were out on North Quay last night,” said Mark Corcoran, community safety officer at Arklow RNLI. “Their early call for help allowed our volunteers to be able to make good time in getting to and recovering this casualty.
“We would like to encourage people to always remember to carry a means of calling for help and if they do spot anyone in the water who might be in difficulty to always call 999 or 112 and ask for coastguard.”
The RNLI recently launched its 2018 national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, which is now in its fifth year of encouraging the public to fight their instincts upon contact with cold water and learn to FLOAT:
- Fight your instinct to panic or swim hard
- Lean back in the water to keep your airway clear
- Open your body up, extend your arms and legs, pushing your stomach up
- Actions: gently move your hands and feet to help you float
- Time: in 60-90 seconds you’ll be able to control your breathing