Young woman rescued from Limerick wetlands
A young woman has been dramatically rescued after she was reported missing and later discovered in a lake in Limerick.
The woman, in her early 20s, was found at around 6am after Gardaí tracked her mobile phone signal to wetlands at Grove Island, Corbally.
Emergency services were alerted to the scene at approximately 5.25am.
Air, water and land searches were carried out involving a unit from Limerick Marine Search and Rescue Service, two units from Limerick City Fire Service and the Shannon-based Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter 115.
The young woman was located by the Coast Guard helicopter submerged in water and rushes, after the aircraft picked up her body heat using the aircraft's on board thermal imaging cameras.
Two members of the fire service's swift water rescue unit used an inflatable rescue sled to make reach the women and bring her to safety near a flyover bridge on the Pa Healy Road.
The woman was treated on scene by HSE paramedics and transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick where her injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
An eye witness at the scene said: "She is lucky to be alive. She was found submerged in rushes in the wetlands and if she had not been located she would have sunk to her death."
"She was drenched in water when they got her out. Our emergency service personnel are fantastic people," the man added.
