Warning over inflatable toys after dramatic sea rescue

A co-pilot of the Shannon-based coast guard helicopter has advised people to be careful in the water with inflatable toys after the dramatic rescue of a five year-old girl who drifted out towards the sea in Co Kerry yesterday.

Captain Sean Murphy, who co-piloted the Rescue 115 helicopter involved in the rescue, said "the stars aligned" for the girl when the chopper was radioed from Valentia coast guard station while travelling to Kerry on a training mission when the incident happened.

The helicopter was just ten minutes away from where a child could be seen drifting out to sea at the Shannon Estuary "around the corner from  Ballybunion".

Capt Murphy told the News at One the little girl was sitting on an inflatable toy drifting out to sea and to choppier waters.

A quick assessment was made to lower the winchman Jim O'Neill to her to her but as he approached her she fell from the inflatable toy and into the water. 

He said Mr O'Neill came off the cable and swam to rescue the girl and the two were taken from the sea shortly afterwards by the Kilrush lifeboat team.

"She was a fortunate girl," he said. 

"While conditions were good there was a fairly strong current and a 20 to 30 knots of wind which was taking her quite quickly out."

He said once on land she was taken with her mother to Kerry hospital and was smiling and thanking Mr O'Neill for rescuing her.

He said the incident should serve to warns others of the dangers of rip currents, cold waters and inflatable toys.