Danger alert as brothers rescue girl (11) stranded on mudflats
TWO Wexford brothers have issued a warning about the dangers of mudflats on the River Slaney after a young girl became stranded near the Ferrycarrig Hotel.
The 11-year old girl who was visiting Wexford with her family, got stuck last week in the mudflats in front of the hotel and was rescued by brothers William P and Laurence Duggan Jnr of Carcur.
The girl’s cries for help were heard by people dining on the hotel decking area last Tuesday afternoon. She had gone about three metres from the shore edge and became stuck, sinking above her knees. The river was in flood at the time.
Laurence and William immediately went to the rescue, deploying a life buoy on the riverbank and giving the girl instructions in a clear and calm manner so as not to alarm her further as she was brought to safety.
The young girl was reunited with her family who were visiting from County Kerry.
Fifteen minutes later, the area where the child was embedded, was covered by an incoming tide.
The Duggan brothers who are sons of Larry Duggan of The Moorings, Carcur are keen fishermen, sailors and wildfowlers and are no strangers to the dangers of mudflat estuaries.
‘It is important to make people aware of the dangers and dire consequences of going into mudflats. The depth of the mud and incoming tide can be fatal if people become embedded,’ said William P.
‘As idyllic as they may look, the mudflats are places of hidden dangers and must be treated with caution. People need to be educated to the dangers in the same way as they are to coastal and inland waterway safety precautions.’
According to William P, more signage is needed along the estuaries. ‘Our local authority and inshore rescue personnel are best placed to oversee a safety educational programme,’ he said.