Lifeboat rescues three teenagers lost in heavy fog at Sandymount beach

The Coast Guard has rescued three teenage girls from a beach in Dublin after they became disorientated by heavy sea fog and surrounded by the incoming tide.

The girls were out walking on Sandymount Strand on the south side of the city yesterday when heavy fog rolled in from the coast. They were surrounded by water with little visibility and dropping temperatures.

Dún Laoghaire RNLI launched two boats in response at about 6.20pm when the girls had phoned for assistance after realising they were lost and surrounded by the incoming tide.

Gardaí and the Dún Laoghaire Coast Guard unit assisted in the search operation from the shore.

The lifeboat crew were carrying out the search with just 100 metres of visibility, they said. The girls heard the noise from the boats and were able to shout for assistance.

The RNLI said they were then transported ashore and were all right although extremely cold.

They were treated by paramedics as a precaution.

“The teenagers were out for a walk when they were caught out by a rolling fog and a fast incoming tide,” said Dún Laoghaire RNLI Coxswain Mark McGibney.

“They lost their bearings and were quickly surrounded by rising water. Thankfully they stayed calm and called for help.

“If they had walked in the wrong direction they could have quickly become out of their depth, instead they made the right decision and called for help. In this case thankfully it ended well.”

Much of the east coast experienced foggy conditions yesterday which are often linked to fine summer weather.