LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Three rescued from capsized boat off Mornington

THREE young men were plucked from death off Mornington (pictured) on Monday night, thanks to a local person who heard their screams for help.

A full emergency operation was launched just after 9.00pm after the trio, who had gone out in a punt, without lifejackets, got into trouble.

Drogheda Coast Guard arrived on the scene within minutes and the shouts for assistance could be heard in the darkness.

They came across the upturned boat about one mile east of the Mornington Bar with the three individuals clinging onto it.

They were helped on board the Coast Guard boat and taken to the old fishmeal area on the Boyne were they were treated by members of the Coast Guard land crew and the RNLI from Clogherhead before the ambulance service arrived.

They were then taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for further treatment.

‘All three casualties where not wearing lifejackets and where extremely lucky to survive this incident. Only for the quick thinking of the caller and the rapid response from all agencies involved were we able to bring this incident to a successful conclusion,’ a Coast Guard statement added.

The major incident also saw the RNLI from Clogherhead as well as the local Coast Guard, the ambulance service and Laytown gardai involved.