A rescue mission had to be launched on Sunday afternoon after a sailor spotted an inflatable dinghy out at sea with three people on board and no life jackets in sight.
At 7:15 pm, the call of concern came in from the sailor regarding the incident in Howth as the three people were attempting to row back to Burrow beach.
According to an RNLI spokesperson, the inflatable had been blown offshore due to the southerly winds as they warned others of how quickly conditions change even on the calmest of days.
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The volunteer lifeboat crew, under the command of Second Coxswain Ian Sheridan, was paged and the inshore lifeboat was launched shortly after.
The lifeboat reached the inflatable within minutes of launching and it was found that none of the three on board were wearing life jackets.
The lifeboat crew took the three individuals onto the lifeboat and returned them to the safety of Howth harbour.
Speaking following the incident, Howth RNLI inshore lifeboat helm Ian Martin warned: “Although the conditions for heading out on the water were good today, things can change very quickly and with inflatables like these, even the slightest wind can take them out to sea.
“That is why inflatables are not suitable for Irish waters.
“It’s also really important that anyone going out on the water wears a life jacket that is suitable for the activity they are doing and that it is in good working order and fits well.
“With the good weather forecast for the coming week, we expect a lot of people will be spending time on or near the water.
“If you do get into trouble, remember to Float to Live - lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency call 999 or 112 for the Coast Guard.”
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