Rescue 117 and the Bonmahon coast guard came to the aid of a person stranded on a beach in Waterford yesterday.
A person called for help after getting into difficulty in a cove approximately one kilometre west of Ballyduane.
After a short search, the coast guard located the casualty and decided it was safest to extract the person via helicopter.
Rescue 117 was on a training exercise at the time and was quickly on scene to winch the person to safety.
Officer in charge of Bonmahon coast guard Brian Fleming said they got out in time. He said they respond to 20 to 30 calls a year and this year is noticeably busier: "people were exploring a lot, going off the beaten track and all the agencies were a bit busier than normal this year".
The coast guard is asking people to be alert to the dangers of the coastline: "you need to check the tides, you need to have communication with you wherever you're going. Tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. Carry your mobile phone and make sure it's charged. Along the coastline there are black spots where you won't get phone coverage so if you're out on the water we'd suggest using a VHF radio and again make sure someone knows when you'll be back".
He thanked Rescue 117 for an "excellent job as always" and said "if you see someone in difficulty in the water or on the cliffs use VHF CH16 or dial 999/112 and ask for the Coast Guard".
