Three people rescued off Waterford coast after a jet ski incident

Kenneth Fox

Three people were rescued from the waters off the Waterford coast after a jet ski incident.

A member of the public reported witnessing a jet ski eject a person into the water near Tramore Pier on Saturday at around 3.45 pm.

In a multi-agency response involving Tramore Coastguard, the National Ambulance Service (NAS), and Gardaí.

Tramore Lifeboat launched at 3.52pm, and within minutes the crew located the jet ski and subsequently found three people stranded on the rocks, under the cliffs at the Doneraile walk.

Two casualties were taken on board and brought to Tramore Pier.  The lifeboat then returned and transferred the third casualty from a different location on rocks under the cliffs shortly afterwards.

None of the three involved in the incident were injured.

“The Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) then requested that Tramore Lifeboat recover the jet ski, as it posed a danger to other water users,” explained a spokesperson for Tramore RNLI

The jet ski was towed to the Ladies Slip area of the beach for recovery, where the lifeboat crew was assisted by members of Tramore Coastguard.

Clive Smith, Lifeboat operations manager, said: “Thankfully, everyone involved was brought safely ashore. We would encourage anyone using a jet ski or other personal watercraft to always wear a suitable buoyancy aid or lifejacket, carry a means of communication, and be aware of the local conditions before launching."

“Helm, Dave O'Hanlon, Crew members Ward Griffin and Peter Kelly carried out a textbook extraction in challenging conditions.”

The rescue comes as the Irish Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland, and the RNLI  urged the public to stay safe if planning an activity on or near the water over the long weekend.