Three rescued from sea off Killiney

Four men in their 20s were rescued today after their inflatable dingy capsized off the coast of Dublin this afternoon.

The four got into trouble in freshening winds off Shanganagh cliffs between Killiney and Bray at approximately 2pm and were 150 metres from shore when they were rescued.

One person swam to shore to raise the alarm, and two clung to a buoy while another was reported missing and was later found floating in the water.

The two clinging to the buoy were rescued by the inshore lifeboat from Dún Laoghaire lifeboat station. The third man in the water was rescued by the Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter.

They were all taken to Tallaght hospital by helicopter suffering from hypothermia and shock.

Those involved in the rescue said the men's inflatable dingy was unsuitable for the conditions. However, all four had personal flotation devices, similar to life jackets.

David Branigan, a spokesman for the Dún Laoghaire RNLI volunteer lifeboat, said the incident reinforced the need for people to be mindful of the type of craft they are taking to sea.

"The main thing is that nobody has died today. Luckily one of them was a strong swimmer who could swim ashore, and luckily the person on the shore had a mobile phone," he said.

"We could have been dealing with a different outcome if they were further out to sea."