Two tourists from the United States of America had a very lucky escape yesterday afternoon after their car plunged off a slipway and into the sea on Valentia Island in Co.Kerry.
The couple are believed to be around 70 years of age, it was reported that the couple were staying in Killarney as they visited The Kingdom but were travelling around the Ring of Kerry for the day.
The couple were rescued by 21 year old local man Mike Moriarty.
Mike Moriarty was in the Royal Hotel in Knightstown when one of the customers said that she thought she saw something going over the edge of the slipway near the clock tower ledge.
Mr.Moriarty said, “I looked and couldn’t see anything, but I walked over and I could see a silver car in the water.”
The car was reportedly faced, nose down in the water beside the wall of the slipway and he could see the driver and the passenger inside.
Instinct kicked in and Moriarty said, “I took out my phone and walled and jumped in.”
Although, he mentioned he could not open the driver’s door due to the water pressure and attempted to open the back door in order to leave water in and rebalance the car.
Mr.Moriarty said this action allowed the water in and the caused the nose of the car to re-position itself.
Doing this “equalised the pressure and I was able to open the driver’s door,” he added.
It is understood that the two visitor’s had been visiting the island along with a group with three or four other cars.
The couple were “very shook”, Mr.Moriarty later said.
The car was retrieved from the water and taken by a local garage. The couple involved in the incident received a drive back to Killarney from others that they were visiting with.
Source: The Irish Times