Irish Coast Guard Rescues Engaged Couple Trapped by Incoming Tide on Achill Island

According to BBC UK, a couple who had recently become engaged while walking on a beach in Ireland required a rescue by the Irish Coast Guard after an incoming tide trapped them against a coastal cliff. The bride and groom-to-be were transported approximately 150m (490 ft) to the top of the cliff because neither a boat nor a helicopter could reach them.

The dramatic rescue occurred on Monday afternoon amidst gale-force winds on Achill Island, located off the west coast of Ireland. Coast Guard volunteer Peter McManamon, who managed the operation, informed BBC News NI that the couple were very fortunate.

McManamon explained that the couple was walking along Keel Beach when the tide started coming in behind them, at one point reaching above knee-level. The couple called 999 for a Coast Guard rescue because they were unable to move off the sand due to the towering cliff behind them.

McManamon stated that the weather conditions were severe, with winds blowing Force 8 to 10 at the time, making it too rough for a rigid inflatable boat to be deployed. Although the Coast Guard helicopter R118, which is based in County Sligo, flew to the location, the crew was unable to assist the stranded couple because of the strong down draft coming off the mountain.

Consequently, McManamon deployed climbers from the Achill Island Coast Guard's cliff rescue team, who descended the cliff to extract the couple from the rising tide. McManamon recalled that the water was coming in around them, roughly just above their knees.

The couple was brought to safety in stages; the woman was brought to higher ground first while her fiancé remained with the waves crashing around his legs. After both individuals were out of immediate danger, the climbers used ropes to separately haul both casualties another 150m to the clifftop.

McManamon noted that hypothermia was beginning to affect them because they were very cold. Since the remote location could not be reached by vehicle, the couple had to walk 2km (1.2 mile) down the hill to an ambulance that was waiting. Paramedics treated the couple at the scene before they were taken to the hospital for checks, though admission was not necessary.

McManamon advised that walking along coastal cliffs in such weather conditions is never a safe choice. He mentioned that the area can be dangerous, and locals generally avoid it, suggesting other parts of the beach are more suitable for walking or swimming.

McManamon, who has been with the Irish Coast Guard for 20 years, spent the last seven years as the officer in charge at the Achill Island Coast Guard Unit, which is a voluntary role. The rescue operation on Monday lasted over seven hours, with his crew finally leaving the cliff around 21:30 local time.

McManamon mentioned that he did not have a chance to speak with the couple properly because he was occupied organizing his team. He agreed that the incident represented one of the most dramatic engagement stories he had encountered, noting that Keel Beach was the location of his own marriage proposal, which he stated he made on the safe side of the beach.