02/05/2007

Teenager dies after dinghy capsizes

A teenage boy has died after he and a friend got into difficulties in a dinghy off the north coast at Castlerock.

A major air and sea operation was mounted after Robert McMullan, 15, from Coleraine was swept out to sea on Tuesday afternoon at around 3:00pm.

He was airlifted to hospital, but died later.

His friend managed to swim to shore and raised the alarm, after the dinghy capsized.

Brett Cunningham of the Coastguard said two helicopters and lifeboats were involved in the search.

He said: “Two helicopters and lifeboats from both sides of the Irish border had been involved in an intensive search.

“The PSNI helicopter located the boy in the water and guided the Irish Coastguard helicopter and Greencastle lifeboat over to pick him up.

“He was then lifted from the lifeboat into the Irish coastguard helicopter and taken to hospital.”

(JM/SP)

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