''We were just in such disbelief that we were finally getting saved.''
One of the women, rescued yesterday off the coast of Galway, has spoken of her disbelief when she realised they were about to be saved.
Cousins Ellen Glynn and Sara Feeney were found by fishermen after spending 15 hours in the water overnight, clinging to a lobster pot.
When they were eventually found 27 kilometres from where they'd set off paddle boarding from Furbo beach.
They had tried to attract attention as a major rescue effort continued through the night.
17-year-old Ellen says they couldn't believe that their ordeal was coming to an end when fishermen Patrick Oliver and his son, Morgan, headed towards them.
''We saw their boat way out in the distance and started waving our paddles up in the air like crazy trying to flag them down'', she said.
''Then they turned and started coming towards us and we were just in such disbelief that we were finally getting saved, we just couldn't believe it''.
”I’m so happy. I had given up.”
Her dad Johnny Glynn says they had to deal with large waves – and the frustration of coming close to being rescued on Wednesday night.
”I said could you see the helicopters, she said they were only a few – maybe 50 metres away from them the night before”, he said.
”They were screaming but no one in the helicopters could hear, and the helicopters were hovering for a couple of hours so they just got really unlucky.
”It must have really killed their spirits when they weren’t picked up and they knew they were there for the night”.
”I’m so happy. I had given up. How could they be in the water from 9.30?” He said to the Irish Independent.
”I wasn’t expecting to find them alive at this stage. We’re so happy. We’re forever grateful.”
