At 07.47hrs on Saturday morning, July 16, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of 4 persons on board a 29ft cruiser that had suffered engine failure, but which had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed up on rocks. The crew had hoisted their distress flag to draw attention to their dilemma.

 At 07.30hrs, Saturday July 16, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist 4 persons whose vessel had suffered engine failure. The skipper of the cruiser had dropped anchor and that was holding them off from the rocks. The lifeboat with helm Peter Clarke, Colin Knight and Ger Egan on board, launched at 07.47hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 4, visibility was fair with frequent strong squally showers. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 29ft cruiser, at 08.29hrs. There were four persons on board, all were safe and wearing lifejackets. A lifeboat crew member checked the vessel and established the cause of the failure, he weighed anchor and the lifeboat took the vessel under tow to the safety of Terryglass harbour, where it was tied alongside at 08.41hrs. Lifeboat helm Peter Clarke said that the 'prompt decision to drop anchor was a good one as it prevented any further damage to the vessel'. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 09.15hrs

ALSO

At 22.30hrs on Friday night, July 15th Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to investigate reports that a vessel, first spotted near the Clare shore, was apparently adrift, but now in Dromineer Bay

 The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and David Moore on board, launched at 22.40hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 4, it was dark. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, an 18ft speed boat, at 22.43hrs. There were two persons on board, and as they were under the canopy were unaware that they were drifting and were being pushed perilously close the outer wall of the harbour and into shallow water. They did not require any assistance from the lifeboat, but were advised to turn on their navigation lights. They made their way safely to their berthing inside the public harbour at Dromineer. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 22.55hrs

Four teenagers were rescued in Co Down last weekend when they were cut off by the tide, the News Letter reports.

The teens were caught up to their shoulders in water at Ardilea on Saturday evening when they were retrieved by a former volunteer coastguard who lives nearby.

The group were met at the shore by the South Down Coastguard Rescue Team and NI Ambulance Service paramedics and taken to hospital showing signs of hypothermia.

Meanwhile, on Friday night RNLI Bangor lifeboat rescued a young girl stranded on a rock near Groomsport after a call from a member of the public.

“With waves breaking around the knees of the frightened child it was paramount that she be brought ashore as quickly as possible," said a coastguard statement. 

The girl was treated by waiting paramedics at the shore.

A volunteer lifeboat crewmember from Newcastle in County Down and his brother rescued two children and four adults from the freezing water after their boat sank off the coast of Donegal yesterday (Tuesday 12 July).  The two brothers, Richard and Samuel Burgess were out fishing on a six metre RIB Blue Haven at around 4.30pm when they heard a call from Malin Head Coast Guard on their VHF radio seeking urgent assistance for an 18 ft cruiser that was taking on water and sinking off Port na Blath in Sheephaven Bay, county Donegal.

Rescuers Richard and Samuel Burgess and their Red Bay Stormforce RIB

Realising they were near the area they immediately made contact with the Coast Guard and made their way to the scene.  On arrival they saw debris and a small part of the bow of a vessel protruding from the water.  Two children and four adults were nearby in the water and wearing lifejackets.  The brothers immediately went to their aid and recovered all six onboard their RIB.  The men also took their fleece and jacket off to wrap around the two children to keep warm.  They then made their way back to land and the group were met by representatives from the Downings Coast Guard with the children taken on to hospital to be checked out.

Commenting on the rescue Newcastle RNLI lifeboat volunteer Richard Burgess said, "I can't believe that on my holidays with my brother Samuel in Donegal, we were involved in the rescue of six people from the sea.  I didn't expect to be using my RNLI training away from Newcastle but I am delighted we were close by and were able to help these people.  I have been on the lifeboat crew for twenty months and the minute we arrived on scene my lifeboat training kicked in.

Conditions on the day were good and the group were about half a mile out from the shore but the area is very rocky and they would have been unable to make it to shore on their own.  It could have been a very different ending to the day and we are just delighted that everyone is safe."

The RNLI recommends that people always have a proper marine VHF radio onboard their vessel in case of emergency.

The Irish Examiner reports that three man have been rescued after their yacht got into difficulty near Furbo in Galway Bay this afternoon. 

Galway's RNLI lifeboat was dispatched to retrieve the men after their distress call to the Irish Coast Guard. 

The men were en route to Rossaveal Harbour at the time when their yacht became tied up in fishing pots.

At 10.30pm last night, volunteer lifeboat crew received a request from Belfast Coastguard to launch the lifeboat to rescue a young girl who had become stranded on a rock ledge close to Groomsport.

Belfast Coastguard received the initial call from a concerned member of public who had observed a young girl standing on an outcrop of rocks and in distress.

Immediately on receiving this call, Belfast Coastguard requested RNLI Bangor Lifeboat to launch and proceed with utmost haste to Cove Bay which is on the southern shores of Belfast Lough.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew had assembled and launched the lifeboat.

Upon arrival at Cove Bay, lifeboat crew quickly evaluated the situation. With waves breaking around the knees of the frightened child it was paramount that she be brought ashore as quickly as possible.

The lifeboat was manoeuvred close to the rock ledge and the child was plucked to safety.

The young girl was brought ashore at Groomsport Harbour and was given into the care of waiting paramedics

Dr Iain Dobie a, RNLI volunteer crewman involved in this rescue said 'Large swells created by passing fast ferries and large boats could have swept this young girl from the rocks. When exploring rock pools and the foreshore please take a minute and think about rising tides and large swells'. He added 'We're very happy that the young girl is now safely ashore'

On Saturday evening, July 2, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of two persons, when their vessel suffered engine failure and was drifting in the Urra Channel just outside Dromineer Bay.

On Saturday July 2, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched, following a request by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist two persons on board a 22ft motor cruiser, that had suffered engine failure and was drifting close to rocks on the Urra shore. The Lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and Dom Sharkey on board, launched at 19.30hrs. Winds were southwesterly, Force 2. The lifeboat arrived on scene 19.35hrs. The two persons were safe and unharmed and both wearing life-jackets. The vessel was taken under tow, and tied safety alongside at the public harbour at Dromineer at 19.55hrs. The skipper of the vessel thanked the lifeboat crew and said that when he 'saw smoke coming from the engine, he had no option but to cut the power and call for help". He was reassured by the crew that he had done the right thing. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 20.20hrs.

At 17.23hrs on Friday July 1, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist two persons in difficulty in the water, after their jet ski failed close by the Scilly Islands, at the south-western end of Lough Derg. The Lifeboat with helm Peter Clarke, Eleanor Hooker and Ger Egan on board, launched at 17.35hrs. Soon after launching, the lifeboat was informed that a lakeboat was also going to the assistance of the persons in the water. The lifeboat arrived on scene 17.55hrs. The crew spoke to fishermen in the only lakeboat in the vicinity. The fishermen had no English but conveyed to the crew that they had taken the jet ski and the persons to a landing place on the Tipperary shore. Lifeboat crew searched the Tipperary shoreline indicated by the fishermen, including private harbours, but were unable to locate the jet-skiers or their jet-ski. The Coast Guard were unable to make contact with the person who had called in the request for help. The lifeoboat was stood down at 18.10hrs. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 18.40hrs

A major search is underway for a missing person, believed to have fallen overboard from his boat off Rathlin Island.

Belfast Coastguard received a call at 4:45pm from a ferry passing the area reporting they had seen a RIB with no one on board between Ballycastle and Rathlin Island.

Coastguard Rescue Officers from Ballycastle and Portrush have been sent to the area. Belfast Coastguard have requested the launch of the Portrush RNLI all weather and Redbay RNLI inshore lifeboats and scrambled Rescue Helicopter 177 from RAF Prestwick to the scene.

Rob Steventon, Watch Manager, Belfast Coastguard, said:

"A major search is currently underway, with many other vessels in the area assisting.  We believe the occupant of the boat may well have fallen overboard as there is rope caught around the propeller."

This morning Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat assisted a person who had been stranded overnight when his vessel had run aground on rocks at the mouth of the river Shannon, at the most northerly part of the lake..

At 09.20hrs on Thursday morning, June 30, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of a person, who had been stranded since the previous afternoon, when his vessel had grounded on rocks at the mouth of the river Shannon in Terryglass Bay, at the most northerly part of the lake. The skipper of the vessel is a diabetic.

At 09.05hrs, Thursday June 30, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist a person whose vessel was on rocks close the mouth of the river Shannon, in Terryglass Bay. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Robbie Garland on board, launched at 09.20hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 2-3, visibility was very good. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 23ft cruiser, at 09.45hrs. There was one person and his faithful dog on board.

The vessel had been grounded since the previous afternoon, and the skipper and his dog had remained stranded overnight. The skipper, a senior individual, told crew that he had got into the water and made two attempts to get the boat off the rocks himself, but without success. The alarm was raised by a local who heard his calls for help.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene, the person was quiet but alert and able to give a full history of events, he had kept warm overnight. He was assessed by Lifeboat crew and didn't give any medical history.

With a lifeboat volunteer on board, the vessel was taken off the rocks and to a landing point at Portumna Bridge closeby, 10.10hrs. Lifeboat Operations Manager Charles Stanley-Smith had called ahead and asked Deputy Launching Authority Fergal Kerney, who was in the area, to meet the lifeboat with food and a warm drink for the casualty.

Two friends of the person, who had been looking for him after it was noticed that his vessel was not at its mooring, also met the lifeboat at Portumna Bridge. They informed crew that the person suffered from diabetes.

The person, alert and able, was given food and drink and immediately taken for a medical assessment. A Garda from Portumna Garda Station was also on scene and Valentia Coast Guard had an ambulance on standby should it have been required. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 11.15hrs

Within the past seven days volunteer crew from RNLI Bangor Lifeboat have launched twice to assist crews aboard two stricken vessels.

On Wednesday 22nd June at 8.20pm Belfast Coastguard received information that an 18ft speedboat with 2 persons aboard had struck rocks close to Groomsport. Volunteer crew quickly assembled and launched RNLI Bangor Lifeboat which proceeded at full speed to the stricken vessel. Thankfully the two people onboard the stranded vessel were able to scramble safely ashore before the Lifeboat arrived on scene. Crew aboard the Lifeboat rigged a tow line and towed the speedboat to the safety of Groomsport Harbour.

On Saturday 25th June at 1.15pm volunteer RNLI crew were alerted by rescue pager that a 35ft yacht with 3 people onboard had lost all steering and required assistance. Belfast Coastguard gave the vessels location as 2½ nautical miles north east of Bangor Harbour. Bangor Lifeboat was launched and escorted the sailing vessel close to entrance of Bangor Harbour were a tow line was rigged. The yacht was then towed to the safety of Bangor Marina.

Kyle Marshall, senior RNLI volunteer helmsman at Bangor Lifeboat Station took this opportunity to stress five very important sea safety tips for anyone going afloat. He said. 'Always wear a lifejacket, secondly check your engine and fuel, thirdly tell others where you are going, fourthly carry some means of calling for help and final always check the weather and tides' He added 'We're happy that the crews aboard both vessels are now safely ashore'.

On Saturday evening June 25, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, towed a vessel and its skipper to safety, after it grounded on rocks, off Scarriff Bay on Lough Derg.

At 19.26hrs, Saturday June 25, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist a person whose vessel had grounded on rocks west of the Scilly Islands, in Scarriff Bay on Lough Derg. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Colin Knight on board, launched at 19.40hrs. Winds were southerly, Force 3, visibility was good. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 32ft cruiser, at 19.58hrs.

The person on board, senior but with a lifetime of boating experience, was quite unsettled by his experience, having misread his location. He was reassured by the lifeboat crew. After a thorough examination of the vessel, which was not holed, it was taken off the rocks and into safe water. With a crew member on board, the casualty vessel was taken under an alongside tow, via Scarriff Bay, up the Scarriff river in County Clare to his mooring. The vessel was tied safely alongside at 21.20hrs.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 21.40hrs.