During the tumultuous Storm Kathleen in Southern Dublin over the weekend, a young girl’s jacket played a crucial role in keeping her afloat while she was adrift in the ocean until lifeguards from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were able to rescue her.
The girl, approximately seven years old, was walking alongside an adult and another child along the Eastern Pier of Dún Laoghaire on Saturday evening when she accidentally slipped into the water. Several nearby residents attempted to save the girl by either tossing in flotation devices or plunging into the rough and choppy sea themselves, however, their attempts were unsuccessful due to the challenging conditions and her being swept far from the pier. In fact, one of the would-be saviours required assistance to exit the water.
Despite the difficulties, RNLI team members from Dún Laoghaire initiated a rescue operation, launching their inflexible rubber boat (RIB) and managed to reach the girl just moments before 8.30pm. Her buoyancy was maintained by her jacket, one of the rescuers jumped into the water, managed to grab her and with the help of two fellow rescuers, both of them were hoisted onto the boat.
Various services joined forces in this operation, including the RNLI, the local police, the ambulance service and the Dublin Fire Brigade. Additionally, the Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 helicopter was deployed for a while.
Andrew Sykes, one of the brave RNLI team members involved in the rescue recalled that they managed to pull the child to safety less than nine minutes after the emergency call. He stated that the stormy weather, massive waves and surge from the pier made getting close to the girl extremely challenging. Sykes, the rescuer who plunged into the water, ensured the child was breathing by positioning her on her back. He held on to her until the RIB was near enough to retrieve the girl and then him.
Sykes highlighted the vital role the girl’s jacket played in the rescue as trapped air capsules within it kept her afloat. When he found the girl, she was bobbing on the surface in heavy sea conditions as the chaotic rescue operation was underway.
One young female was hospitalised after suffering from non-critical injuries. The mishap was a result of her slipping off a section of a pier that was coated with seaweed and proved a challenging path to tread upon. She collapsed into the water amidst turbulent weather which prompted the company she was with, including another adolescent and a man, to appeal for assistance and alert the emergency services.
At the same time, Ireland was experiencing the effects of Storm Kathleen. It swept across the land on Saturday, leaving in its wake toppled trees in several areas and disrupted electricity supplies. At its most intense point on Saturday, approximately 34,000 households found themselves without electricity. However, by Sunday morning, this figure had reduced to just 2,000.
Monday is set to see a substantial downpour, particularly in the southeast region. A yellow rain alert has been issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford, taking effect from Sunday midnight and holding for a 24-hour period. Forecasters warn that possible consequences may involve flooding, poor visibility, and dangerous travel conditions.
Rainfall is expected to spread over the majority of the region on Monday, with a possibility of the northwestern parts remaining dry. Rain will continue throughout the day. A few showers may occur on Tuesday and despite this, the day is likely to remain mostly dry with bursts of sunshine. However, rain and drizzle will set in southwest by Tuesday night, further extending over most regions at night. Wednesday it forecasted to be gloomy with consistent rain and mist throughout the day.