Busy Sunday afternoon for rescue services in Howth

IT WAS a busy day in Howth yesterday afternoon for members of the Irish Coast Guard.

At 3.30pm, the Irish Coast Guard emergency operations centre in Dublin received a call reporting a missing jet skier. The Coast Guard team in Howth, the Rescue 116 Helicopter and the Howth RNLI lifeboats were immediately tasked to the scene.

Search teams combed the water and coastline for the missing jet skier. About 30 minutes later, the Coast Guard helicopter located him with his submerged craft north of Ireland’s Eye.

The Howth lifeboat brought the casualty back to shore to a waiting ambulance. The jet skier, who was wearing a lifejacket, didn’t have serious injuries.

During this rescue operation, a sighting of a person possibly in the water off Balscaden was also reported. Rescue teams were again dispatched and after a search nobody was located.

Finally, as the teams were wrapping up, it was noted that waves were breaking on the East Pier in Howth and people out walking were in danger of getting washed over. A Coast Guard team spoke to members of the public and advised them against walking down the pier until after the weather conditions passed.

One person was assisted back to safety from beyond the breaking waves. Coast Guard personnel maintained a position on the pier until the high tide receded.