Lough Deg RNLI lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Robbie Garland and Colin Knight on board, launched on Monday 14 September at 20.00hrs. The air was calm and it was dusk. The lifeboat located the vessels, which had been travelling together, some distance north of the Corragheens at the Goat Road. The first casualty vessel had three persons on board and the second casualty vessel had seven adults and a baby on board. All were safe and unharmed.
They were requested to put on their lifejackets while the vessels were inspected. Neither vessel was holed. With an RNLI crewmember on board, the first vessel was taken off the rocks and towed to safe water where a further check of her engine and rudder was made. They were then asked to stand by in safe water until their companion vessel had been taken off the rocks. A lifeboat crew member was then transferred to the second casualty vessel which, once freed, was also checked thoroughly for damage. The RNLI crew member remained on board, as both cruisers were accompanied by lifeboat to the public harbour at Dromineer. The passengers said they were very discomfited by the ordeal but were ‘very relieved to see the lifeboat approaching’. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 23.15hrs.
At 20.00hrs on Monday 14 September the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Vera Skelton brought eleven persons to safety after two vessels went aground at Goat Road on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.
Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat launched following a request from Valentia Coast Guard to go to the assistance of two cruisers aground on rocks and who had given their location at the Corragheen Islands.
