Two walkers who had gone for a stroll on Dublin's Sandymount Strand ended up being brought to safety by a lifeboat on Sunday.
The walkers were rescued by the RNLI inshore lifeboat from Dun Laoghaire shortly after midday.
A statement from the lifeboat service said the pair raised the alarm by ringing the Coast Guard service on their mobile phone.
“They then attempted to walk towards shore but with the water-level waist deep and rising they returned to the sandbank to await rescue. Their phone became water-logged in the fast-rising tide and with two hours to high-water, the sea-level was rising faster than walking in water-logged clothing would allow”, the statement added.
The boat based in Dun Laoghaire was on exercise with four volunteer crew on board and proceed immediately to the scene. The Irish Coast Guard helicopter at Dublin Airport was also sent to the area and both arrived at 12.15pm.
“The ILB crew walked the remaining 50-metres with life-jackets for the two walkers who were then brought by lifeboat to Dun Laoghaire. Neither was harmed though First Aid for a minor injury was given to one of the walkers. The Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit attended at the RNLI station and brought the casualties back to their car at Sandymount by road.”
Robert Fowler, Deputy Launching Authority with Dun Laoghaire RNLI said: "Walking on our local beaches is very popular but care is needed in respect of the state of tide that is constantly changing.
“From low-tide to high, water-level can become several metres deep in the course of a long-walk at the waters’ edge”.
A recent risk-analysis by the RNLI for the Dún Laoghaire station indicates that walking poses one of the most significant hazards in the area with today's incident the third of its kind to date this year.
Waterford rescue
Meanwhile, two fishermen were rescued on Sunday afternoon after they got into difficulty off the Wexford coast.
The Wexford RNLI and Rosslare Harbour RNLI responded after the former received a report that a boat was experiencing mechanical difficulty southeast of Blackwater Head.
A lifeboat was dispatched to the vessel and helped the fishermen establish a towline. The boat was then taken to shore.