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Sea warnings follow dinghy death | Sea warnings follow dinghy death |
(about 6 hours later) | |
There have been new warnings about sea safety following an incident in which a teenage boy died in County Londonderry. | There have been new warnings about sea safety following an incident in which a teenage boy died in County Londonderry. |
Robert McMullan, 15, from Coleraine, died after he and a friend got into trouble in a dinghy at Castlerock. | Robert McMullan, 15, from Coleraine, died after he and a friend got into trouble in a dinghy at Castlerock. |
He was dragged from the water and attempts were made to resuscitate him but he died later in hospital. His friend managed to swim to safety. | He was dragged from the water and attempts were made to resuscitate him but he died later in hospital. His friend managed to swim to safety. |
Coleraine councillor Timothy Deans said lifeguards could not be introduced to their beaches until the end of June. | |
The tragedy was discussed at a meeting of Coleraine Borough Council on Tuesday night. | The tragedy was discussed at a meeting of Coleraine Borough Council on Tuesday night. |
"I think the emergency services proceeded very, very quickly," Mr Deans said. | "I think the emergency services proceeded very, very quickly," Mr Deans said. |
"Unfortunately we have had one of these fatalities that no-one ever wished to see on our beaches. | "Unfortunately we have had one of these fatalities that no-one ever wished to see on our beaches. |
"We will be meeting again to see if there was anything we could have done, but at this stage we are not going to be putting on lifeguards who are half-trained and don't have the proper equipment and are only doing a half-job - when we do something we want to do it right."The accident happened at Downhill beach | |
Two helicopters and lifeboats were involved in Tuesday's rescue operation. | Two helicopters and lifeboats were involved in Tuesday's rescue operation. |
The PSNI helicopter located the boy and guided the Irish Coastguard and Greencastle boats over to pick him up. | The PSNI helicopter located the boy and guided the Irish Coastguard and Greencastle boats over to pick him up. |
He was then lifted from the Coastguard boat into the Irish Coastguard helicopter. | He was then lifted from the Coastguard boat into the Irish Coastguard helicopter. |
The Coastguard has appealed to people not to use inflatables or lilo's in the sea, but if they do to make sure they are securely fastened to a point on the beach. | The Coastguard has appealed to people not to use inflatables or lilo's in the sea, but if they do to make sure they are securely fastened to a point on the beach. |
Sean McCarry of the UK Coastguard said people had to take precautions when they went to sea. | Sean McCarry of the UK Coastguard said people had to take precautions when they went to sea. |
"These are things we try to avert as much as we can with sea-safety messages," he said. | "These are things we try to avert as much as we can with sea-safety messages," he said. |
Charles Cavanagh of the Irish Coastguard said that the death was a tragedy. | Charles Cavanagh of the Irish Coastguard said that the death was a tragedy. |
"Attempts were made to resuscitate, but a number of hours later he died in hospital," he said. | "Attempts were made to resuscitate, but a number of hours later he died in hospital," he said. |