Dangers Of Shop Sold Inflatable Dinghy’s

 
Two men rescued after drifting out to sea in a cheap supermarket dinghy ran off when they got back to shore. Dressed in just vests and shorts could have died when they took the flimsy blow up boat into the Atlantic.
A spokesperson for Killybegs Coast Guard said they received a call at around 8pm last Tuesday that two men were roughly one nautical mile south east of St. John’s Point.
He said: “This type of inflatable boat is not suitable for the sea, he warned novice sailors are risking their lives by taking to the sea in cheap boats.
“It’s an ongoing problem that people are buying these small crafts, thinking they are for the sea when they should only be used on the beach
The Killybegs Coast Guard crew were out for three hours on the rescue operation. Their spokesperson took the opportunity to remind the public to use life jackets and take a phone or radio with you whenever going out to sea or near water.
He also suggested looking up the Irish Sailing Association’s SafeTrx app for iPhones and androids. The app allows you to plan your journey then monitors your progress and alerts emergency contacts should you fail to return on time.
Derek Flanagan, Malinhead Coast Guard discusses the dangers of shop sold dinghy’s with the Shaun Doherty Show.