The volunteer lifeboat crew at Fethard RNLI were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 4.25pm on Friday evening (26 July) following a report that a woman was drifting on a paddle board in the direction of Bannow Bay.
Friends and family members raised the alarm from Baginbun Beach when they observed the person onboard the paddle board in difficulty.
The lifeboat, helmed by Mick Roche, with crew members John Colfer and Cathal O’Connell onboard, launched at Fethard Harbour and made its way towards Bannow. There was a Force 4 offshore south-westerly wind and moderate sea conditions.
The Irish Coast Guard’s Waterford-based helicopter Rescue 117 located the casualty and hovered over to pinpoint her location. The lifeboat crew quickly made their way there, taking the casualty on board to return her to her family on Baginbun Beach.
Speaking after the call-out, Fethard RNLI helm Mick Roche said: “The paddle boarder did everything right on the day. She wore a floatation device, stayed with her board when she got into difficulty and had told family and friends her plans. All of this led to a successful rescue.
“We would remind everyone visiting the coast in the fine weather that if you do get into difficulty or see somebody in trouble on the water or along the coast, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”