Woman rescued after getting stuck in mud with tide rising

AN emergency mobile phone call saved a woman from disaster in Cork harbour yesterday when she became trapped in mud on a rising tide.

The drama unfolded near Hop Island, Rochestown, as the woman, in her 30s, went to rescue her dog which had become stuck in the mud flats.

Having waded out to retrieve her pet, the woman became trapped with the tide rising rapidly at around 3pm.

“When the lifeboat arrived the water was waist high with the tide coming in fast, ” said Jon Mathers, a Crosshaven Lifeboat volunteer.

The lifeboat were called out after the woman, who was not named, made an emergency 999 call on her mobile phone.

The Coastguard helicopter was also scrambled as was a fire service unit.

A rib, crewed by Crosshaven Lifeboat volunteers Vincent Fleming, Bernard Lynch and Dennis Cronin, rushed to the scene. “Had the tide not come in a bit it would have made our rescue all the more difficult as the rescuers would have had to wade across the mud which can always be a bit tricky,” said Mr Mathers.

The woman was said to have been in a very distressed state and was clutching her dog in her arms when the rib arrived.

Volunteer Bernard Lynch entered the water and managed to free the woman from the deep mud. She was then taken to shore, along with her dog.

Paramedics treated the woman, who was said to have been deeply shocked by the experience.

“She was very wet and very cold but otherwise unharmed,” Mr Mathers said.

A spokesman for the city fire service said it was the second time in two weeks that it has been called out to rescue people stuck in harbour mud.

Late last month, in other parts of the country, two separate rescue operations were launched after walkers got bogged down in separate incidents.

A helicopter, fire brigades and ambulances were called out to rescue a man and a young woman who found themselves in similar trouble.

In one incident, a young woman in her 20s found her walk on Portmarnock Beach in Co Dublin came to a halt when she strayed onto mudflats.

Using her mobile phone, the woman called for help and despite having some difficulty explaining the exact position of her predicament, Howth Coast Guard managed to locate her using helicopter rescue, Dublin Fire Brigade and a team of volunteers.

In Limerick a man immersed in mud was also lucky to have a mobile phone to raise the alarm.

Three units of the fire brigade from Limerick city, along with volunteers from Limerick Marine Search and Rescue unit were scrambled to the scene at Canal Bank, Rhebogue.