Dublin miracle as young girl rescued from sea during Storm Kathleen
A young girl who was swept to sea at Dún Laoghaire in Dublin during Storm Kathleen was kept afloat thanks to pockets of air in her jacket, allowing rescuers to reach her in time.
The girl, who is reported to be around seven years of age, was walking along Dún Laoghaire's East Pier with a man and another child shortly after 8 pm on Saturday, April 6 when she fell into the water.
Several people in the area attempted to rescue the girl by trying buoyancy aids into the water, while some people even entered the water themselves. However, the sea proved too rough and the girl was carried away from the pier.
Dún Laoghaire RNLI said in a statement that following a request by the Coast Guard, the inshore lifeboat was launched at approximately 8:15 pm and the vol‐ unteer lifeboat crew were on scene in minutes.
When arriving at the incident, the lifeboat crew was directed, by members of Dún Laoghaire Coast Guard’s shorebased unit, to the position of the casu‐ alty in the water. The young child was floating on their back, responsive and calling for help.
Due to the sea conditions, it was decided the safest course of action was for a crew member to enter the water, where they kept the casualty’s head supported while the lifeboat came alongside.
When they were safely aboard, the lifeboat crew returned to shore, where they were met by members of Dún Laoghaire RNLI, Dublin Fire Service, and the HSE Rapid Response Unit. Commenting on the callout, Dún Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Ed Totterdell said: "Our thoughts are with the young child and their family, after what must have been a frightening experience.
"We would also like to thank the mem‐ bers of the public who raised the alarm by contacting the Coast Guard so quick‐ ly.
"I am very proud of my lifeboat crew for their actions and swift response. We train every week for every possible sce‐ nario and this was one of those times where every second counted. I hope that this young person makes a full and swift recovery."
The dramatic rescue was captured on camera by bystander Tom Lyons, who shared his clip on X:
Heroic rescue just now in Dun Laoghaire. pic.twitter. com/ExrXcc73Kv - Tom Lyons (@TomLyonsBiz) April 6, 2024
Andrew Sykes, who was on board the lifeboat, said the rescue operation was difficult due to the stormy conditions on the water.
"With the high winds and storm we were experiencing, with large waves and surge coming off the pier, to get along‐ side her was extremely difficult. She would be pushed one way and we would be pushed another," Sykes told re‐ porters.
Sykes said the girl's jacket had been keeping her afloat before the lifeboat arrived at the scene.
"She had a jacket on and capsules of air had become trapped in it - those kept her afloat," Sykes said.
The girl was later taken to hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the incident, which were described as nonlife-threatening.
According to The Irish Times, the section of the pier that the girl was walking along was slippery and covered in sea‐ weed after Storm Kathleen made land‐ fall on Saturday morning.
More than 30,000 homes were left without power during the storm, while several flights to and from Dublin Air‐ port were also canceled on Saturday morning.