THREE TEENAGERS HAVE been winched to safety by a Coastguard helicopter after they became stranded on rocks by the tide.

The dramatic incident happened shortly after 6pm yesterday as large crowds gathered at Myrtleville beach near Crosshaven in Co Cork.

The boys had made their way along a stretch of coastline between Fennel’s Bay and Church Bay and became trapped when the tide rose.

The Crosshaven Coastguard and Crosshaven RNLI were called when the alarm was raised. The RNLI went to the scene in their John and Janet rigid inflatable inshore lifeboat.

One of the crew of the RNLI craft, wearing a drysuit and helmet, swam to shore to check on the condition of the boys.

The Coastguard and the RNLI crew determined it was safer to winch the boys by helicopter and the Waterford based R117 was dispatched to the scene.

The boys were winched off the rocks with one of the boys requiring treatment for signs of hypothermia.

A statement from Crosshaven RNLI hailed the operation and said that it was a great display of the capabilities of the units working together.   

“Just after 18.15 this evening Crosshaven Coast Guard (boat and shore teams) along with Rescye 117, RNLI Crosshaven Lifeboat Station, National Ambulance Service and An Garda Síochána were tasked to an incident between Fennel’s Bay and Church Bay. 3 persons had been cut off by the tide and were unable to get back to safety.

“Crosshaven RNLI put a crew person ashore and it was deemed safer to extract the persons by helicopter. R117 soon arrived on scene and winched the persons to safety. One person has been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. Great interagency work!

“Quick thinking of calling the emergency services saves lives. Remember if you see someone in trouble on our coasts or waterways dial 999/112 and ask for the Coast Guard,” the RNLI said.