#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat at 3.45am yesterday morning (Wednesday 14 September) following a distress call from a yacht that suffered engine failure and drifted onto rock armour.
The eight-metre vessel, with two people on board, was seeking shelter from the weather that had worsened with a strong Force 7 northwesterly gale blowing into the mouth of Rosslare Harbour.
One of the yacht’s crew was able to leave the boat and make it on to the rocks. But due to high waves and the rocks, it was not possible to attach a towline to the yacht from the lifeboat.
Two Rosslare lifeboat crew successfully managed to get the remaining occupant off the boat from the landside of the harbour while the lifeboat stood off shore providing cover.
The couple were brought to the lifeboat station to get warm and recover from their ordeal. They were also provided with dry clothes.
Speaking after the incident, Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan praised the efforts of the volunteer who went down to help the woman who had remained on the yacht.
"It was a challenging rescue in the early hours as the boat was getting dashed against the rocks and we needed to get the two crewmembers to safety," said Ryan. "The best way to recover them was from the landside with the lifeboat providing cover from the sea.
"The boat has suffered major damage but the two people are recovering well from the incident. The couple, who are not from Ireland, are being looked after by the people of Rosslare."