#LIFEBOATS - "Extremely challenging" conditions hampered the crew of Courtown RNLI after a car crashed into the sea at the Co Wexford harbour, the Irish Examiner reports.
A 19-year-old man died in the incident on Friday night after he and two other teenagers crashed through a sea wall. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene after his removal from the submerged vehicle.
The lifeboat crew pointed to debris from rivers swollen by the heavy rains of the past few days, coupled with gale force winds, as complicating their efforts.
Elsewhere, the Examiner reports that two men on board a yacht that got into difficulties near the Old Head of Kinsale yesterday afternoon were rescued by Courtmacsherry RNLI.
Additional report from Aine Stafford of Courtown RNLI Lifeboat station:
Courtown RNLI Lifeboat launched on Friday night, June 15th, at 22.35 hrs, to a report of a vehicle having entered the water in Courtown Harbour, Co. Wexford.
The volunteer RNLI crew launched the Lifeboat in less than five minutes, and quickly located the car, with the assistance of Courtown Coastguard and Gorey Gardai who were on the harbour side. Gorey Fire Brigade and the local Ambulance service also attended the scene.
An RNLI crew member entered the water at the location of the submerged car, and the Lifeboat then proceeded to carry out a thorough search of the harbour in challenging weather conditions. After 48 hours of heavy rain, quite a lot of debris had washed down the two rivers that enter Courtown Harbour and there was a large swell coming in from the sea.
Unfortunately, a short time later, the Lifeboat crew recovered a man's body from the submerged car. The remains were then taken to Courtown RNLI Lifeboat Station where the man was pronounced deceased by the local Caredoc Service.
Courtown RNLI Lifeboat extends its sympathy to the family of the deceased.