Skerries RNLI rescued two men, a father and son, who had got into difficulty in the water while kitesurfing on Friday afternoon (3 November).
The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis Simson was launched by the volunteers in Skerries shortly before 4.30pm, following an emergency call to Dublin Coast Guard from a member of the public reporting that several kitesurfers appeared unable to return to shore off the south beach in Skerries.
After rounded the headland of Red Island, almost immediately the crew spotted two men in the water holding on to a kitesurfing board.
The two were helped aboard the lifeboat, where the volunteers took steps to protect them from the elements and assessed their condition.
With both men showing early signs of hypothermia, an ambulance was requested to meet the lifeboat back at the boathouse. Following an assessment by paramedics, one of the men was transferred to hospital for further monitoring and treatment.
Conditions at the time had a Force 4-5 westerly wind with a slight sea swell and good visibility albeit with fading light.
Speaking about the call-out, volunteer lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “When you get a call to say that someone is in difficulty and they are already in the water, every second counts.
“One of the men commented that he was incredibly relieved to see a big orange boat appear on the horizon as he didn’t think they had much strength left.
“Well done to the people that raised the alarm. It just goes to show, if you see someone in trouble on the water, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard — it can make all the difference.”
