Man dies after getting into difficulty swimming off Dublin coast

A man in his 20s who got into difficulty while swimming in the sea off the north Dublin coast has died after being taken from the water by units from the Irish Coastguard.

The Irish Coast Guard Rescue co-ordination centre received a 999 call, reporting a person in difficulty in the sea off a beach known locally as Hidden Beach near the Baily lighthouse in Howth, on Friday afternoon.

The Howth Coast Guard Rescue team, along with Howth RNLI lifeboat and Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 were alerted and responded immediately.

The Coast Guard rescue team arrived on scene and brought the man ashore, where paramedics from Dublin fire brigade and the National Ambulance Service treated him.

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Coast Guard Rescue 116 winched him aboard the helicopter and transferred him to a waiting ambulance where he was brought to Beaumont Hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

A Garda spokesman described the incident as “a tragic accident”.

“We encourage people to take care near the water during the Easter weekend and to contact the Coast Guard at 999 or 112 if they think they see someone in trouble,” a Coast Guard spokesman said.

He stressed the importance of people who alerted the emergency services after seeing others in difficulty in the water” to “remain at the scene until help has arrived” as long it was “possible and safe to do so”.

He said remaining at the scene meant it was much easier for the emergency services to locate the person in trouble and can cut the searching time by crucial minutes and even hours.