Young lifeguard rescues swimmer in distress off Co Derry beach on his 18th birthday

“I’ll definitely remember this birthday for the rest of my life”

A young lifeguard working on his 18th birthday has been praised for his quick action in saving a swimmer in distress off the north coast.

RNLI lifeguard Cohan Currie–Laverty was patrolling Portstewart Beach when he noticed the swimmer caught in difficulty on August 7.

An RNLI spokesperson said that the woman had entered a rip current and was failing to make progress.

READ MORE: Co Fermanagh lifeboat rescues two people aboard ‘stranded’ vesselREAD MORE: Two people drifted nearly a mile out to sea on dinghy rescued by local vessel and RNLI

A post on RNLI Portrush Facebook read: “Upon noticing this, Cohan responded quickly by entering the water with his rescue board. Cohan had reached the swimmer just in time as she had begun to panic in the rip current and was struggling to keep her head above the water.

“Once the swimmer was on the rescue board, Cohan reassured the casualty to keep calm and to try to breathe normally as they made their way ashore. Cohan made the decision to make way to Bailey’s Beach, a smaller beach by Portstewart Strand, as it was closer to them.”

Once safely ashore, Cohan assessed the swimmer, who was shaken by the ordeal but thankfully did not require further casualty care.

Following the rescue, Cohan said: “This incident highlights how strong rip currents are. Rips can catch even the most experienced beachgoers out so if you do find yourself in trouble, Float to Live.

“Knowing this technique and encouraging your family to practice it could save your life: Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally.

“Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink – we all float differently.

“By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing. Once you’ve regained control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety.”

Cohan added that being able to help someone was a “nice way” to celebrate his milestone birthday.

“I’ll definitely remember this birthday for the rest of my life.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.