FIVE young siblings were rescued after getting into difficulty in the sea off a beach in Co Down yesterday evening.
The incident occurred last night on Minerstown beach in Co Down at around 9.30pm.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after reports[/caption]
They provided casualty care for the five children who needed varying degrees of care[/caption]
Emergency services rushed to the scene after reports that the five children, who are all siblings, had been caught out by the rising tide.
When they arrived at the beach, they found the children had been brought ashore by two off-duty nurses.
They spotted that the children were in danger and bravely waded into the sea to bring them to safety.
Newcastle team, Kilkeel Coastguard team and Newcastle RNLI’s inshore lifeboat attended the scene following two initial reports.
They provided casualty care for the five children, who needed varying degrees of care.
The casualties were taken to a nearby house for warmth while waiting for paramedics who arrived and took the children to the Ulster Hospital.
Newcastle Coastguard praised the actions and “remarkable bravery” of the two nurses who pulled the kids from the water.
It said: “Newcastle Coastguard team would like to pay tribute to the two off-duty nurses who waded into the water to rescue the children.
“They showed remarkable bravery and fortitude in a rapidly deteriorating situation to calmly bring the three youngest children to shore before wading out up to their chests in water to rescue the two oldest children.
“They then looked after the children until the arrival of the Coastguard and RNLI teams and remained at the scene right up until the ambulance service took the children to hospital.”
They continued: “The women displayed outstanding courage, ignoring their own safety to ensure the children were not only brought ashore but cared for until the arrival of the emergency services.
“We would like to thank the owner of the nearby house for opening their doors to the children while we waited for the paramedics to arrive and to the shore team at Newcastle RNLI who brought additional supplies of oxygen to the scene by road.”
Many took to the comments of the post to praise the actions of the two nurses and the emergency services.
One said: “Absolutely Amazing assistance and care from those two Nurses, selflessly managed and brought all those children to safety!
‘ACT OF BRAVERY’
“Their act of bravery will have profound affect for those wee children’s parents! Not all Hero’s wear capes!
“Great Teamwork for all involved and for the kindness of the stranger opening their home…so many good people.”
Someone else added: “We should all be thankful for the volunteers of the Coastguard and RNLI who are ready and willing to respond when the call comes in.
“Also, to members of the public who step up when needed.”
A third wrote: “Thank goodness this all had a good outcome, having had a similar experience abroad with a family member and nurses who happened to be on the beach and did all that was possible until rescue surfaces arrived, these nurses showed such bravery .
“Unfortunately for us the outcome was negative but all involved never stopped trying.”
A fourth said: “Fantastic team work. Hats off to the two off duty nurses. Heroes all of them…. Hope the children are none the worse for their ordeal.”
The incident occurred last night on Minerstown beach in Co Down at around 9.30pm[/caption]
