With westerly winds blowing up to Force 7 and in a 3 metre swell, the drifting yacht had soon gone aground on the rocks south of the lighthouse in Crookhaven Harbour. The faster inshore lifeboat arrived on scene within 35 mins and under the guidance of Helm Micheal Cottrell, was able to attach a towline to the stern of the yacht. Coxswain Aidan Bushe, on the all weather lifeboat, then took the tow and pulled the yacht off the rocks. Keys for the yacht were brought out from the shore and her engines started.
The inshore lifeboat then accompanied the yacht while she was secured to new moorings. The yacht was unmanned at the time of the incident. Damage to the hull was limited thanks to the prompt response of the
Baltimore lifeboats. Eight volunteer crewmembers form Baltimore lifeboat station were involved in this operation plus at least four shorehelpers who assisted in the launch and recovery of the lifeboat.
On Tuesday the all weather lifeboat had been launched to assist a 35ft yacht with one person on board that had suffered engine failure. The yacht had been drifting approximately 1.5 miles South of Kedge Island near the entrance to Baltimore Harbour. The lone sailor was unable to make way under sail due to the weather conditions a North Westerly force 6 – 7 with a 2.5 metre swell running.
The previous Friday night 28th August, the all weather lifeboat went to the assistance of a small leisure angling boat with one person on board that had become lost in dense fog near Heir Island in Roaring Water bay.
