An area officer for the Irish Coastguard has praised five teenagers in Cork for their efforts in rescuing a father and son who were swept out to sea on an inflatable on Sunday.
Just before 7.30pm on Sunday evening, a member of the public raised the alarm after seeing two people in trouble in the water at Fountainstown, Co Cork.
It is understood the child (9) had an inflatable device which was swept out to sea in strong currents. His father rushed to help him but also got into difficulties and was left clinging to a marker buoy.
Gardaí, the RNLI, the coastguard and the national ambulance service were called to attend the scene but five teenagers, who were fishing in a light rib near Roches Point, went out the help the pair. They arrived at the scene before the emergency services.
Victor Shine of Crosshaven Coastguard told RTÉ radio's Morning that the teenagers were able to assist because their boat was small enough to reach the area which would have been difficult for the Coastguard.
“I must commend them for their heroic efforts,” he said.
It was “a challenging area” where the incident occurred, he added.
The teens –- Jamie Venner, Richard McSweeney, Cillian Foster, Kate Horgan and Harry Pritchard – rushed to the scene to save the father and retrieved the man onto their boat.
They brought him ashore where he was reunited with his son who is understood to have made his way ashore himself.
Mr Shine said that both the father and son were suffering severe hypothermia and the emergency services brought them to a camp fire on the beach to warm them up while also wrapping them in foil blankets.
There were concerns about blood pressure so the Coastguard helicopter landed on the beach to transport them to Cork university hospital.
