Lough Swilly RNLI rescues two young people who were swept out to sea on a dinghy

Two people have been rescued after being swept out to sea at Ballyliffin. A 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were rescued off Pollan Beach by Lough Swilly RNLI after their dinghy was caught in a rip current. 

The two people from Nepal, but living in Belfast, were part of 40 to 50 people from the Nepalese community on holiday in Inishowen.

The incident unfolded on Sunday at 3.54pm when Lough Swilly RNLI were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to launch both boats. Rescue 118 helicopter from Sligo was also tasked to assist.

After they drifted about 400 to 500 meters off the shoreline for a kilometre and a half, they were rescued by the Atlantic 85 and taken to the shore, where they were met by an ambulance and gardaí. Neither casualty required hospital treatment. 

READ NEXT: Lough Swilly RNLI brings three people to safety after boat gets into difficulty

Joe Joyce from Lough Swilly RNLI paid tribute to the quick-thinking actions of the public who alerted the emergency services. “Malin Head Coast Guard coordinated the rescue. They had over 19 calls for assistance for that particular incident. So the public was really on the ball with that.”

Mr Joyce also praised the work of the crew for their third rescue in five days. "A lot was going on in Buncrana with the Donegal game on, the music festival, and the town was really busy. The volunteer crew did well launching both boats so quickly. There was quite a strong wind, probably about a force four, so the outcome could have been so different.”