Young girl rescued from sea at Dún Laoghaire

A young girl was rescued from the sea at Dún Laoghaire, south Dublin, last night in a multi-agency rescue operation.

The Coast Guard and gardaí confirmed they were involved in the incident which happened at around 8.20pm last night off the east pier.

The child was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries which have been described as non-life threatening.

It is not known how the child came to be in the water, but it was reported that there were high waves in the area at the time.

A number of members of the public attempted to enter the water to rescue the girl before they were taken on board an RLNI lifeboat.

Dún Laoghaire Coast Guard, the RNLI and Rescue 116, along with a number of other emergency services attended the scene.

Luke Nolan from Rathfarnham in Dublin was walking Dún Laoghaire pier with two friends when he said he heard a girl crying out for help.

The 24-year-old said he and his friends found a young girl and an older man on the edge of the pier, both soaked from head to toe, who were trying to reach the other young girl in the water.

Mr Nolan and his friends tried to tie a number of life rings together and enter the water but he said the waves were too strong.

“It was extremely wild, the wind was crazy and the waves just kept coming and coming”.

He said he was relieved the girl was rescued and that she had appeared to remain calm throughout the incident which he said lasted around half an hour.

He said those who had witnessed the incident were shaken and that although he was a sea swimmer it would make him think twice about entering the water.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it to be honest”.