Two Bundoran teenagers rescued three children who were thrown into the sea after their kayak overturned at a beach.
A coast helicopter was launched before Conor Doherty (15) and his friend Ryan Hamil (14) rescued the three holiday-makers after they got into difficulty at Tullan Strand, Bundoran, Co Donegal.
The three children, aged five, 11 and 14, were caught in a current and pulled out to the sea during the incident on Monday evening. Efforts by their father to reach them had failed when his calls for help were heard by Conor and Ryan.
The two Magh Ene College students were skateboarding nearby and, after asking someone to raise the alarm, both took off their shoes and T-shirts and went into the water.
Conor swam to the two brothers who were closer to the shore, while Ryan went to the aid of their sister. By the time they reached the shore, gardaí and an ambulance crew had arrived and a helicopter had taken off from Strandhill after being alerted by Malin Head Coast Guard. The Bundoran lifeboat landed two crew.
"We were skateboarding at Ryan's house, which is beside the beach, when we heard shouting and we just thought it was people playing around down at the beach," Conor said.
"Then it started to look like someone calling for help and we looked over and saw a guy looking up and waving and looking into the sea. So I got someone to ring the lifeboat and Ryan ran down to see what was happening and when I got down there we just went into the water."
The rescued children were treated in the ambulance for shock and then taken to Ryan's home, where they were given tea and the chance to recover.
Conor said their actions were instinctive. "We just saw the people in the water and went into them. We are both strong swimmers and have done surfing down at that beach and know it well. The father was very shocked by what happened and he thought he made the wrong decision to leave the water and go and get help . . . but he made the right decision by raising the alarm."