An adult and four teenagers are on Sunday evening recovering after being plucked from the sea off east Cork following a rescue operation involving the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI.
The five people were pitched into the sea about 1km south of Capel Island, off Knockadoon Head in east Cork when their two GP14 sailing dinghies capsized in choppy seas.
The alarm was raised at 3.20pm when a personal locator beacon belonging to one of the five was activated and the Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Dublin responded.
The Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 117, was tasked from Waterford while the Coast Guard at Youghal also responded and proceeded to Knockadoon Head some 18km away.
Meanwhile, the Irish Lights Vessel, Granuaile, which was 8km away, also proceeded to the scene to assist after the Coast Guard issued a call to any vessels in the area to help.
The Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre had also tasked Youghal RNLI to assist and the Inshore Life Boat quickly also made its way to the area.
Youghal RNLI was first on the scene and pulled all five from the sea and aboard their Atlantic 85 Class RIB. They were then brought ashore at Knockadoon Pier.
Medically assessed
Youghal RNLI deputy launching authority Mark Nolan confirmed that all five, who are from the local area, were medically assessed by the winchman on Rescue 117 on the pier.
The five, a man in his 60s and two boys and two girls in their early to mid-teens, were further assessed by paramedics and all were found to be fine. They did not need to be hospitalised.
Mr Nolan said that the five were in the water for approximately 30 minutes and although water temperatures were only about 10 degrees they were okay.
“Thankfully all five casualties were wearing life jackets . . . and we were able to get to them quickly.”
