Schoolgirls recovering after canoes swept out to sea

Six national schoolgirls are recovering today after they were rescued by an RNLI lifeboat yesterday afternoon.

The girls were on a day out at an adventure centre at Clogher Beach in Co Louth when the ordeal happened.

They got into difficulty out canoeing with an instructor from the adventure centre when a strong off-shore wind pushed them out to sea.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Declan Levins was working at Clogher Head Beach station at the time and luckily spotted the group in trouble, prompting a rescue operation.

Aimée Corcoran, Clogher Head lifeboat press officer, said the strong wind seems to have been the cause.