Union Hall RNLI’s volunteers were paged on Thursday evening (15 May) at 6.14pm to a report of an overdue swimmer at Squince Beach in West Cork.
The alarm was raised following a 999 call to the coastguard from a member of the public.
Union Hall’s inshore lifeboat Raymond and Christine Fielding was launched at 6.25pm and headed to the scene helmed by Tim Forde and with Cathal Deasy, Nicola O’Donovan and Annette Glanton onboard.
There were several kayakers in the harbour at the time, and the swimmer was found as they made their way back to the shore accompanied by one of the kayakers.
Once on scene, the lifeboat crew stood by and accompanied the swimmer, who was able to make their own way ashore along with the assisting kayaker.
Once ashore, Toe Head/Glandore Coast Guard unit were present on the beach and the swimmer was subsequently handed into their care.
Speaking following the call-out, John Kelleher, Union Hall RNLI lifeboat operations manager said: “As we continue to enjoy this good weather, we expect many people to head to the coast to make the most of the fine conditions. In doing so, we are urging the public to remember some water safety advice which could be lifesaving.
“We want people to be aware of the dangers, to know their limits and to not take risks. Go with others and look out for each other. Make sure your phone is charged so you can call for help if you come across anyone who needs it.
“Check the weather and tide times before you go — tides can go in and out very rapidly in some areas, causing people to become cut off, or quickly out of their depth — so find out the times of high and low tides before you set off.
“Rip currents, which are channels of fast-flowing water running out to sea, can be difficult to spot and can catch out even the most confident and prepared swimmers.
“If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, stay calm — don’t panic. If you can stand, wade. Don’t try to swim. Raise your hand and shout for help loudly. Don’t swim directly against the rip or you’ll get exhausted. Swim parallel to the beach until free of the rip, then make for shore.
“If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water and in difficulty, know how to Float to Live. The best way to do this is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged. Try to relax and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands to help you stay afloat if you need to. Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability — and it’s OK if your legs sink, we all float differently. Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.”
