Coastguard praises man who rescued children swept out to sea

The Coastguard has praised the actions of a Co Antrim man who rescued three children who were swept out to sea on the north coast.

Nathaniel Hunter from Ballyvoy is the hero of the moment after his actions helped saved the lives of the two girls and a boy aged 10, 11 and 12.

He was out walking with his wife at Ballycastle beach on Wednesday evening when he noticed the youngsters had been dragged from a river 50 metres out to sea.

Without any consideration for his own safety he dived in and pulled them out of the freezing water.

“We got down to the edge of the water and I saw the buoyancy aid so I grabbed that and then myself and another young fella made our way into the water,” Mr Hunter told UTV.

“We came across the first wee girl, she was probably the strongest swimmer so she had got in far enough that we were able to get her and take her into the shallow, Jordan took her into the shore.

“I continued on out and got the wee boy first of all, and then was able to throw the buoyancy aid out to the other wee girl who was another 10 or 20 metres out.”

The Coastguard, a helicopter and lifeboats were all scrambled to the scene at the popular beach at about 8.30pm. But thanks to Mr Hunter’s bravery the children were already on dry land when they arrived.

The ambulance service say the children aged 10, 11 and 12 were treated for hypothermia at the Causeway Hospital. They have all now been released.

While Mr Hunter is quick to dismiss his new hero title - without his quick- thinking this could been a tragedy.

Ciaran Kinney, Coastguard rescue officer with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “Yesterday there had been a significant amount of rainfall into an already saturated water system so the kids had been playing here and were catapulted out into the sea.

“When we arrived here a member of the public had intervened, and taken the children onto the shore. The children were obviously clearly distressed and very cold, really shocked at what had happened but also just glad to be back on shore and that someone was looking after them.

He continued: “I think he is to be commended he did all the right things he made sure he was safe, he made sure other people were safe and that no other people entered the water and then using some rescue equipment from the beach, he used that to develop a rescue and honestly I think we may have had a very different outcome today had it not have been for the intervention of Mr Hunter, he certainly deserves to be thoroughly praised.”

Mr Kinney urged anyone who sees someone in need of rescue to diall 999 and ask for the Coastguard before doing anything.

He added: “Ask for the Coastguard and we’ll be there as quick as we can. Before they intervene, make sure it’s safe for them to do so and use any available rescue equipment.”