Boy, 7, saved after floating 1km out to sea

Heroic holidaymaker to the rescue as inflatable dinghy 'pulled out quickly by the wind' on Dingle beach

A gusty offshore wind swept the little boy’s dinghy away from his parents and out into the harbour.

A seven-year-old boy who floated 1km out to sea on an inflatable dinghy yesterday was rescued by a heroic holidaymaker who saw the boy in distress from the shore.

David Finn from Cork was at Smerwick beach outside Dingle yesterday afternoon on a family holiday when a gusty offshore wind swept the little boy’s dinghy away from his parents and out into the harbour.

“He was pulled out fairly quickly by the wind,” David told the Irish Examiner. “I didn’t think, I just grabbed my [surf]board. I knew I had to get to him. I have a little girl and boy myself.”

David told the boy’s frantic mum who was swimming out after her son to return to shore before he reached the boy.

“He was scared but I kept talking to him and I told him to tell me stories and sing me a song to keep him calm as I pulled him back,” David said.

Rescue boats arrived as David and the little boy were metres from shore and applause rang out on the beach.

David, who previously worked as a lifeguard, warned about the dangers of using inflatable toys on open water.

“Inflatable toys should never be used on open water," he said. "It is not safe and they are not designed for it." 

The coastguard and gardaí attended the scene but the situation was already under control and the child was safely returned to his parents, gardaí said.