The lives of five people were saved in the city this week through the quick actions of the Galway RNLI Lifeboat crew.
Galway RNLI Lifeboat rescued four people who became trapped in the rising tide between Hare Island and Ballyloughan Beach on the east side of Galway city at the weekend.
The group were walking back from Hare Island at about 4.30 pm on Saturday, unaware of the dangers of crossing the causeway on a flood tide. A member of the public spotted the group in difficulty and dialled 999.
One of the group who was ahead of the others was in water up to his chest while the other three were in water almost up to their hips and straying dangerously away from the causeway.
The Irish Coastguard requested the immediate assistance of Galway Lifeboat who launched from Galway Docks at 4.37pm, arriving at the scene within minutes. Two Lifeguards working at Ballyloughan Beach also assisted in the rescue, relaying information to the Coastguard and crew. The lifeboat crew plucked the four people out of the water and transported them back to Galway Docks lifeboat station. They did not require medical assistance.
The two men and two women who were in their mid-twenties are not from the local area. Mike Swan, Galway LifeboatOperations Manager, says the group did not realise the danger they were in. “We’d urge visitors to pay heed to signposts and warnings about tides when visiting Galway’s beaches and waterways this summer and always.”
The crew on the Saturday callout were Brian Niland (Helmsman ), Martin Oliver, David Oliver and David McGrath.
Separately, Galway Lifeboat were called to rescue a person who entered the water at O’Brien’s Bridge in Galway city on Monday.
Galway Gardai, ambulance crew and the Fire Brigade’s River Rescue all attended the scene just before 2pm. The person was rescued further downstream at Wolfe Tone Bridge by fire brigade crew and taken to Galway University Hospital.
