Lifeboat volunteer recalls saving young girl’s life in Storm Kathleen
A lifeboat volunteer has reflected on the moment he helped to save a young girl from drowning during Storm Kathleen.
On Saturday evening, it was reported that a young girl required emergency assistance after she was swept out to sea from the east pier of Dún Laoighaire Harbour. The seas had been severely rough during that time, due to the effects of Storm Kathleen.
The girl, whose name and age has not yet been released to the public, got into difficulties in the water at around 8:20pm.
Andrew Sykes, a volunteer who was on board the RNLI lifeboat that saved the young girl, has since been recalling the miraculous moment.
Just eight and a half minutes after receiving the initial emergency call, the RNLI crew were able to pull the young girl on board to safety. However, despite the impressive response time, Mr Sykes noted that the RNLI’s achievement was incredibly challenging in the storm.
“With the high winds and storm we were experiencing, with large waves and surge coming off the pier, to get alongside her was extremely difficult. She would be pushed one way and we would be pushed another,” he explained to the PA news agency.
After two attempts to rescue the young girl from within the boat, Mr Sykes ended up entering the water himself to collect her and get her on board.
Describing the little girl as “calm and alert”, Mr Sykes went on to detail a crucial part of her outfit that allowed her to float.
“She had a jacket on and capsules of air had become trapped in it – those kept her afloat,” he revealed.
Following the emotional rescue, Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat Station’s lifeboat operations manager, Ed Totterdell, has been praising the efforts of his crew members.
“It showed the talent of the crew on board that they were able to do it, they were ready for it,” he shared.
It has since been confirmed that the young girl was taken to hospital after being rescued. She has subsequently received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
