Diver ignores warnings to dive into choppy sea caused by Storm Isha | UK News

This is the moment a daredevil diver leaps into rough seas despite lifeguards warning Storm Isha has made coasts ‘dangerous’.

The diver was filmed taking a running jump into icy waters off the Blackrock Diving Tower in Galway, Ireland, on Sunday.

Footage of the stunt posted online sparked an outpouring of criticism from people arguing it encourages behaviour that puts rescuers’ lives at risk.

One user wrote on X: ‘What idiots like this clearly don’t care about is when they get in trouble it will be RNLI [Royal National Lifeboat Institution] volunteers who will respond, voluntarily putting themselves in danger to keep others safe, reckless and stupid.’

The RNLI, which covers both British and Irish coasts, has urged ‘extreme caution’ when visiting seafronts due to strong gusts or waves which could ‘knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea’.

Thrill-seekers were warned not to try and take selfies with the huge waves on beaches, piers and cliffs.

The RNLI says anyone who gets in trouble in water should ‘lie back in the water, extend your arms and legs and try to relax as best as you can until you get control of your breathing,’ lifeguards say.

Amber and yellow weather warnings have been issued across the UK as Storm Isha began to batter the British isles with winds of up to 100mph on Sunday.

The strongest winds for decades were recorded in some parts of Northern Ireland, England and Scotland. 

An 84-year-old man died after his car collided with a fallen tree in Fife, while motorists had to be rescued from floodwaters in Yorkshire and homeowners around the country woke up to property damage caused by high winds.

Train services have been affected nationwide by cancellations and delays, and some flights out of UK airports have been axed.

All trains in Scotland were suspended on Monday morning, with Network Rail working to clear fallen trees and collapsed walls and fencing across the network.

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation has warned that one or two tornadoes are ‘possible’ in England and Wales on Monday morning.

Tens of thousands of people have been left without power, and officials say there is a risk of further damage to homes as well as fallen trees, flying debris and floods.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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