A fisherman from County Clare has been praised this week for helping to rescue a six-month-old baby as the family car rolled off a pier at Lough Derg.
According to The Clare Champion, the tot was visiting Mountshannon with its parents last Saturday, when the incident occurred.
The newspaper reports that the couple, who are from Dublin, had parked their car on Knockaport Pier and got out briefly, at about 1:30pm. The baby remained inside the car, in a car seat, with the windows down.
Suddenly, the vehicle began to roll down the incline of the pier. The terrified parents kicked into gear, and were aided by local angler John Barry, who was alerted to the mother’s screams.
John told the Champion that he didn’t know what was happening until he heard ‘screeching’ and the mother’s horrified screams. She told him that her baby was inside the car, and John managed to help get the baby out.
“The baby and the car seat were taken from the car. There were shoes floating around and a few other bits and pieces, and I took those out of the car and brought them up; as much as I could salvage, before it got too wet.
“The car was filling up with water very fast. It all happened so fast, it was nearly over before I knew what had happened.”
Thankfully, John was able to confirm that the baby was fine and not ‘traumatised’ in any way after the frightening incident.
John even managed to help the couple retrieve their car from the water after the incident.
Well done to that man; we are so relieved to hear that no one was harmed.
