#RNLI - Galway RNLI's lifeboat was launched on Saturday evening (20 August) after two yachts and a half-decker got into difficulty at Renville on Galway Bay.

The alarm was raised by the Irish Coast Guard shortly after 6pm after a 40ft yacht, a 32ft yacht and a 25ft half-decker ended up on the shore at New Harbour.

Although conditions were rough with choppy waters and Force 6 winds, Galway RNLI's volunteer crew managed to tow all three vessels to safety, assisted by crew on the vessels.

The lifeboat crew first towed the half-decker to safe waters and deployed its anchor before towing the two yachts, one behind the other, out to the half-decker, tying one of them to the smaller vessel so that they could tow the other to a safe mooring.

The crew then repeated this operation with the second yacht, untying it from the half-decker and towing it to a safe mooring. Finally they towed the half-decker back to the quay at Galway Bay Sailing Club.

No one was injured in the incident and only minor damage was caused to one boat.

"This rescue operation took quite some time as the weather conditions were not very favourable," said Galway RNLI lifeboat operations manager Mike Swan.

The volunteer crew on this call out were helm Kieran Oliver, John O’Sullivan, Leanna McHugh and Greg Cullen.

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI launched last night (Saturday 20 August) on the request of the Irish Coast Guard to a vessel with one person onboard in difficulty a mile from Fethard in Co Wexford.

A member of the public raised the alarm at 7.30pm when they saw a vessel that appeared to be in difficulty off The Borrow at Grange Strand, off the Fethard coast.

The lifeboat was launched and the crew were able to secure a visual from the launching site of the blue-and-white 16ft vessel, which had a failed propeller.

The vessel had broken its mooring the previous night from Fethard Quay and had come ashore at a local area called the Windy Gap. The owner had successfully relaunched the vessel at 7pm, however a half a mile from shore the propeller got entangled in a rope.

Weather conditions were slightly overcast with a Force 4-5 south-westerly breeze and good visibility.

Arriving on scene, the volunteer lifeboat crew were able to successfully free the propeller of the rope, which allowed the inshore lifeboat to take the vessel by tow to Fethard Quay.

Speaking following the callout, Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Tony Molloy said: "The volunteer crew responded quickly and was with the casualty within minutes. The pleasure boat was towed safely back to Fethard Quay where it was securely moored and the lifeboat returned to the station shortly after 9pm."

The Fethard lifeboat crew on this callout were helm Rory O'Connor, Cathal O'Connell, Dean Foley and Joe Dwyer, along with driver Eileen Murphy and shore crew Martin Doran, Malclom Ennis, Joey Murphy and Brendan O'Callaghan.

Fethard RNLI recently received a major boost in their fundraising efforts for a new inshore lifeboat, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - The Castletownbere lifeboat Annette Hutton was launched early yesterday morning (Saturday 20 August) when Valentia Coast Guard Radio requested assistance to a yacht in difficulties 45 miles south of Mizen Head in West Cork.

The 8m yacht with one person on board had left the Azores in early August and ran into difficulties in yesterday's severe weather.

The sailor, in his 60s, had been in regular radio contact with Valentia Coast Guard radio until yesterday morning, when his VHF radio was washed overboard. He activated an EPIRB to identify his location, raise the alarm and seek help.

The lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Brian O’Driscoll, was launched at 8am and located the casualty at 10.40am, some 50 miles south-west of Castletownbere. An Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter was also on scene. Conditions were described as gusting Force 8/9 winds with a 30ft swell.

Amid the challenging sea conditions, the yacht was taken under tow and the lifeboat proceeded slowly to Castletownbere. Early into the tow, the lifeboat crew became concerned about the wellbeing of the sailor and the crew managed to transfer him to the lifeboat.

With the damaged yacht in tow, the lifeboat returned to Castletownbere at 8.30pm, having been at sea for 12-and-a-half hours.

Last night the sailor thanked the Castletownbere lifeboat and all involved for "saving his life", saying: "Only for the lifeboat, things would have ended up very badly today."

Commenting on the callout, Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat operations manager Tony O’Sullivan added: "The coxswain and crew are to be complimented on today’s rescue – they demonstrated skill, seamanship and endurance during what was a long and challenging day."

#RNLI - A group of kayakers were brought to safety on Thursday night (18 August) by Union Hall RNLI after they got into difficulty during a night-time kayaking expedition off Castlehaven in West Cork.

The alarm was raised by one of the kayakers after two of the party became separated and the group requested assistance to make their way back to shore.

Union Hall RNLI's inshore lifeboat was launched at 10.45pm and proceeded to the scene, where they learned that the two kayakers originally thought missing had made it to safety on shore and the rest of the group requested assistance to get back to land.

It was decided to take the group off their kayaks and bring them onto the lifeboat before bringing them the short distance to Reen Pier.

The 15 people were helped onboard the Atlantic 85 lifeboat while their kayaks were towed back to shore.

"This was a large group for our inshore lifeboat to assist and our volunteer crew did well in ensuring that everyone was taken onboard quickly and safely," said Union Hall RNLI lifeboat operations manager John Kelleher.

"The weather conditions were challenging for the lifeboat crew to get from their base in Union Hall over to Castlehaven but thankfully conditions on scene were much calmer.

"With the call for help coming in quite early and the lifeboat crew on scene quickly, we were able to get the situation under control in a short time with everyone accounted for and safely brought ashore."

#RNLI - An unusual training exercise took place on Sunday (14 August) off the Connemara coastline involving the Naval Service vessel LÉ Orla and the volunteer crews of the Clifden RNLI lifeboats.

In calm conditions, RNLI volunteers and naval crew co-operated on a number of training exercises, beginning with a 'man overboard' scenario, in which the casualty was transferred by hoist from the LÉ Orla to the Mersey class all weather-lifeboat Fishermans Friend.

A RIB from the naval vessel was then recovered in the water and towed by the Atlantic 85 lifeboat helmed by Daniel Whelan with crew John Mullen, Gerry Claffey and Michael Carey.

Next up was a salvage operation exercise, where the lifeboat crew used their salvage pump onboard the Naval vessel which was supposedly adrift at the time.

"It was at this point it occurred to me that as part of a salvage operation we would normally tow the vessel in question," said Clifton RNLI coxswain David Barry, who requested and was granted permission to tow the 750-tonne OPV at 1,500 revs and 3.2 knots.

"Admittedly, conditions were very calm at the time, but we were all really delighted to have been able to successfully carry out a brief tow," he added. "In poorer conditions, we might have been able to at least keep the ship nose to sea.

"Overall, the day's exercises were a huge success for the whole crew and we are really grateful to the Irish Naval Service for facilitating these invaluable exercises."

To round off the exercise session, three Naval Service divers were recovered from the water by both lifeboats.

Since the introduction of the all-weather lifeboat to Clifden, the volunteer crew have undertaken many hours of advanced and innovative exercise scenarios intended to give the crew experience and competence.

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI have received a major boost for their inshore lifeboat appeal after receiving a €12,000 donation from local business Loftus Hall.

Ahead of the RNLI Waves Festival at the end of the month, Aidan and Shane Quigley from Loftus Hall presented Fethard RNLI with the significant contribution towards their special appeal, which was launched earlier this year to raise €65,000 for a new D class inshore lifeboat for the station.

The current lifeboat, Trade Winds, has been operational for almost 10 years, launching 119 times to rescue 85 people in that time, and is due for retirement in 2017.

Aidan Quigley, proprietor of Loftus Hall, said: ‘We are delighted to support such a worthy cause. The RNLI plays such a vital role in the lives of those who live by, work on and visit our coasts. The lifeboat service is kept going by the generosity, dedication and commitment of volunteers, who give selflessly of their time and skills.

"This donation will hopefully ensure the provision of a new D class lifeboat in Fethard to operate in the area over the coming years. Not only is it reassuring to know that many more lives will be saved, but also that the volunteer crew who work tirelessly in saving those lives will be kept safe on their way to a rescue."

Rebecca Doyle, Fethard RNLI lifeboat press officer, added that she and her fellow lifeboat volunteers are "overwhelmed by the support from Loftus Hall with their donation of €12,000 towards our appeal and also by providing us with the astounding and historic location for one of our main fundraising events to be held at the end of the month."

Tickets for the RNLI Waves Festival on Sunday 28 August are available from www.wavesfestival.ie.

#RNLI - Three kayakers who got into difficulty in Dungarvan Bay on Sunday evening (7 August) were assisted by the volunteer crew of Helvick Head RNLI.

The inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong launched just after 6.30pm following a report that three people in kayaks were struggling in strong winds and currents in the Ballyvoile area of Dungarvan Bay.

One kayaker had made his way ashore but was stuck on rocks and was in need of medical assistance. He was airlifted by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter to Waterford Regional Hospital.

A second woman was helped from her kayak by the lifeboat crew and brought ashore at Clonea Beach close by. The third person was successful in reaching the shore.

The lifeboat, helmed by John Condon and with crew members Shane Walsh and Joe Foley onboard, later returned to the scene to recover a kayak from the rocks.

"Strong winds and the tide made it difficult for the casualties to get ashore and they were struggling," said Condon after the callout, "so the lifeboat was essential in ensuring the safe recovery of the second kayaker as well as in assisting the helicopter. We would like to wish all three kayakers well after their ordeal."

The incident came on the same day that a group of 12 kayakers was rescued in Dublin Bay after failing to heed the small craft warning in place due to forecast high winds, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Kinsale RNLI launched twice overnight on Saturday (6 August) and into the early hours of Sunday (7 August) this past weekend.

The lifeboat first launched at 9.40pm to Saturday to aid a 26ft yacht that had become propped. Visibility was poor and weather conditions were deteriorating as the vessel was located south of the Sovereign Islands.

Lifeboat crew member Aidan Henry boarded the vessel to set up a stern tow until the lifeboat reached the Charles Fort area, when the yacht was taken alongside and returned safely to the Kinsale Yacht Club marina.

Just hours later at 3.23am on Sunday morning, the emergency pagers went off for a second time in response to reports of distress flares in the Summercove area.

Nick Searls and Jonathan Connor, who attended the earlier incident, were joined by Mark Lewis as the lifeboat searched Kinsale’s inner and outer harbours in poor visibility.

Waterford's Rescue 117 helicopter and Irish Coast Guard units from Kinsale and the Old Head of Kinsale also conducted an extensive search of the area but no vessels or persons in distress were located. The operation was called off by the coastguard at 5.15am.

"Flares are there to save lives at sea and are a vital piece of equipment for any vessel," said Kinsale RNLI lifeboat operations manager John O’Gorman. "When the RNLI receives a report of a flare being released, we respond immediately.

"We would ask every member of the public to be aware that flares should only be used in a genuine emergency as it sets in train an operation involving a large number of RNLI volunteers and resources and members of other rescue services."

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI had a busy weekend, with their second callout in 24 hours seeing launch to reports of an unmanned vessel drifting a half mile off Fethard in Co Wexford.

The alarm was raised before 9.30am yesterday morning (Sunday 7 August) by a member of the public who saw the vessel drifting out to sea.

The lifeboat was launched and, once on scene, discovered that the 17ft pleasure boat had dragged its moorings and become entangled in ropes from nearby lobster pots.

One of the RNLI crew got out of the lifeboat and freed the vessel from the ropes, enabling it to be taken in tow to Fethard Harbour.

Weather conditions were good with a Force 3 to 4 south-westerly breeze, and visibility was clear.

"Vessels that drag or break free of their moorings can quickly become a problem as they move into busy areas or cause an obstruction to other marine traffic," said Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Hugh Burke.

"We don’t know who owned the vessel in question but in bringing it in to the safety of Fethard Harbour there is now no danger it will be lost or cause an accident."

The callout came a day after the lifeboat crew rescued three from a 17ft punt drifting dangerously close to the shore at Ballyteigue beach, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Fethard RNLI were launched yesterday morning (Saturday 6 August 2016) just before 9am to reports of an anchorless 17ft punt with three people onboard in difficulty off Keeragh Island, Co Wexford.

Requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard to the initial location, reported as a half mile north-east of Keeragh Island, once on scene the lifeboat was not able to locate the vessel, whose VHF aerial was broken on top of suffering engine failure.

A short time later the lifeboat crew spotted the vessel getting washed ashore in the surf on Ballyteigue beach. Two of its crew had left the punt and were trying to prevent it getting completely beached.

As the Fethard lifeboat approached the shore, one of the lifeboat crew got into the surf and turned the punt around to establish a tow. Once the rope was secured, the lifeboat towed the vessel with its three crew onboard to the Coalyard at Cullenstown.

"The changing nature of this callout meant that the lifeboat crew and to react quickly to ensure a successful outcome, at one stage towing the punt through a very narrow channel between sandbars," said Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Hugh Burke.

"I would urge all boat operators to ensure that they have a properly working anchor on their vessel and a means of calling for help. The most benign situations can turn in the blink of an eye and in these cases every second counts.

"Thankfully the weather was good and the lifeboat crew were able to assist and bring both the crew and the boat safely home."