Boy saved from Brittas Bay sand dune
GARY MENEELY of the Irish Sun newspaper reported today that this young lad cheated death after being buried alive under a collapsed sand dune — thanks to the quick thinking of a local hero.
Calum Fenton, ten, was playing on Brittas Bay beach in Wicklow over the weekend when the six-foot dune engulfed him.
The lad’s friends shouted in horror and four men raced over to help including paramedic Rajmund Kolter.
The Polish native dug the youngster out and immediately administered some CPR.
And thanks to the heroics, Calum survived and was out and about again yesterday.
Modest rescuer Ray, 36, told the Irish Sun last night: “I just did what I could. I just began digging with some other men and we got Calum out.
“There was a lot of panic and I said I was a paramedic and took Calum to one side and did some work on him. In those situations someone needs to be boss.
“The boy’s face was blue — he wasn’t breathing. But he was strong and he came round.”
But amid the chaos, the Fentons didn’t get to thank the rescuers as the lad was whisked to hospital.
Yesterday Calum’s relieved dad John made an appeal on broadcaster John Murray’s RTE radio show to find the heroes.
And the family, from Killiney, Co Dublin, got the chance to express their appreciation.
John said: “The four gentlemen were heroes — had they not got to Calum on time it would have been a real tragedy. He was buried for 12 minutes.”
Ray, who lives in Naas, Co Kildare, said: “It was great to talk to Calum and his dad John. It made me feel really happy.”
In May 19-year-old Niamh McCarthy died after a sand dune collapsed on her near Castlegregory, Co Kerry.
