TWO ROWERS who had attempted to row across the Atlantic from Canada have been rescued off the Irish coast by the Coast Guard.
The rowers, who are believed to have left Canada recently, were rescued off the Cork coast this afternoon, July 21.
The Waterford-based Coast Guard helicopter R117 located and removed the two casualties from their overturned vessel 165 miles west-southwest of Mizen Head in Co. Cork.
A Department of Transport spokesperson said the incident was coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia after the alarm was raised by the activation of an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB).
An EPIRB is a safety device used to alert search and rescue services in the event of an emergency.
It transmits a coded message on a distress frequency via satellite and earth stations to the nearest rescue co-ordination centre.
The two casualties were successfully airlifted on board Rescue 117 and transferred to Tralee Hospital.
Speaking about the rescue, the Coast Guard’s SAR Manager Gerard O’Flynn said: “It highlights that if you can raise the alarm and stay afloat then you stand a very good chance of being rescued.
"I also want to compliment the helicopter crew and Valentia on a very successful operation and thank the Air Corps for their support.”
Earlier this year, an Irishman who once battled heroin addiction and depression became the fastest Irish rower to cross the Atlantic ocean solo.
Galway native Gavan Hennigan, 35, arrived into Antigua’s English Harbour after a 49-day, 3,000-mile voyage across the ocean from the Canary Islands in February.
