Rosslare Harbour RNLI has responded to two call outs off the Wexford coast today.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was first requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat shortly after 9am this morning following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to go the assistance of a yacht which had sustained engine failure due to fuel problems.

The Swedish yacht with a man and woman onboard had been on passage from Arklow to Kinsale when it got into difficulty off Blackwater Bank.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Eamon O’Rourke and with seven crew members onboard launched at 9.15am and made its way to the scene.

Weather conditions at the time were good with a south westerly Force 4 wind.

The vessel which had a head wind down from Arklow had fuel problems causing the engine to fail. However, the sailors managed to start it again before the lifeboat arrived. To ensure it continued safely on passage, the lifeboat accompanied the sailors for an hour as the vessel made its way to Rosslare Europort.

The lifeboat was requested to launch for a second time today at approximately 3.30pm, this time following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that a small 2.5m rigid inflatable boat, thought to be unmanned was drifting out to sea from Rosslare Strand.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Eamon O’Rourke launched at 3.38pm. Weather conditions were good with sunny skies and a brisk south westerly Force 5-6 wind blowing.

Once on scene, the lifeboat crew set up a tow line and brought the vessel safely back to its moorings.

Speaking following the call out, Jamie Ryan, Rosslare Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘It has been a busy day for the crew but our volunteers are always happy to help. We would remind anyone going to sea to respect the water. Always wear a lifejacket and harness where appropriate. Always have a means for calling and signalling for help and ensure everyone onboard knows how to use it. Always check the weather forecast and tide times. Make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don’t return on time. Learn how to start, run and maintain your engine and always carry tools and spares.’

The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat was called out at 11.25 am this morning Sunday to go to the immediate aid of a 14–foot Pleasure boat off Harbour View in Courtmacsherry Bay.

The alert was raised from the shore as the boat was seen to have got into difficulties and was being blown by strong winds towards the coast line.

The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat under Coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of eight launched both the Trent Class Lifeboat and the Stations Inshore boat and reached the stricken causality within 15 minutes. The pleasure boat, with four persons on board had encountered engine problems and the prevailing winds was putting it in immediate danger.

On scene, the Lifeboat assessed the difficulties with the casualty and secured a tow line to the stricken vessel and then proceeded to tow the boat away from the shoreline and subsequently brought it back to the safe haven of the Courtmacsherry inner harbour.

Conditions at sea today were blustery with Winds in the area blowing force 5/6.

The Crew on board today's callout were Coxswain Ken Cashman with the All Weather Trent Boat crew of Chris Guy, Dara Gannon, Ciaran Hurley, Denis Murphy and Evin O Sullivan. The stations inshore boat was Helmed by Kevin Young and Mark John Gannon.

Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Station LPO Vincent O Donovan commented, " We are pleased that our Lifeboat was again very fast away today with eight volunteers quickly responding within two minutes and that the rescue was carried out efficiently and very quickly"

He also appealed to all that are using the water over these busy holiday weeks to " take great care of the safety measures associated with your pleasure craft and that Life Jackets are always worn by all persons on board your boat".

#RNLI - Just hours after launching to an alarm from a yacht’s emergency beacon on Friday morning (28 July), Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was back in action responding to a Mayday from a Drascombe Lugger taking on water in Schull Harbour.

The lifeboat launched at 6.11pm and proceeded to the scene amid calm conditions at sea, with a westerly Force 4 wind and good visibility.

Before they arrived, however, Schull Coast Guard’s inshore rescue boat was first on scene six minutes later and took the sailing boat with two on board under tow back to Schull Harbour.

“The sailors did the right thing this evening and raised the alarm when they found themselves in difficulty,” said Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer. 

“We would like to commend our colleagues in the Irish Coast Guard who arrived on scene and brought the vessel to safety.”

#Rescue - A mother and her two children were rescued from a sea cave at Silver Strand yesterday afternoon (Saturday 29 July) in a joint operation between Wicklow RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard.

The two children had got into difficulty while swimming at the popular beach south of Wicklow Head, and their mother rushed to their aid – only for the three of them to be swept into a nearby cave.

Wicklow RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched at 4.40pm and arrived on scene with the Dublin-based coastguard helicopter Rescue 116, which lowered a winchman onto the beach to locate the casualties.

The Wicklow lifeboat followed shortly after, and helm Graham Fitzgerald brought the rescue vessel close to shore where the lifeboat crew spotted three people and the winchman in a cave.

Weather conditions in the area were windy, with a southerly Force 4 and high breaking surf at the mouth of the cave.

After an assessment by the winchman and lifeboat helm, it was decided that the winchman would lead the casualties to the adjoining cave, as rocks at the entrance would impede getting the boat close to shore.

Once the casualties were in the other cave, the lifeboat crew brought the boat onto the beach and all three were transferred to the lifeboat along with the coastguard winchman.

The mother and her two daughters were believed to have been on a day trip to the beach when they decided to go for a swim and one of them got into difficultly. Her sister had tried to help, but also got into trouble. 

The mother then entered the water to help her daughters, which resulted in all three of them ending up in the cave.

The winchman, a trained paramedic, assessed the three casualties on the lifeboat and they were brought to Wicklow Harbour, where they were given hot drinks.

Wicklow RNLI were involved in a similar rescue at Silver Stand in 2014 when the lifeboat was called out to rescue a woman who had been swept into a cave after getting into difficulty swimming.

Red Bay RNLI in County Antrim has rescued two men this afternoon (Friday 28 July) after their 10m yacht encountered steering problems off Rathlin Island.

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 9.50am following a request from Belfast Coastguard that a yacht which had been on passage from Ballycastle to Campbeltown in Scotland at the time, was in difficulty.

The vessel had lost its steering due to a jammed rudder.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Tom McLaughlin and with five crew members onboard, made its way to the scene in what were moderate seas and strong tides. There, the lifeboat crew assessed that the two onboard were safe and well before working with them to establish a towline.

The yacht was then taken under tow and brought safely back to Ballycastle in an operation lasting four hours.

Speaking following the call out, Paddy McLaughlin, Red Bay RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘Sailing and motorboating are popular pastimes around the Antrim coast and particularly at this time of year. We would remind anyone who finds themselves in difficulty to raise the alarm and ask for the Coastguard. It is important that anyone going to sea regardless of their activity respects the water. As you plan your trip, always check the weather forecast and tide times and make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don’t return on time. Always wear a lifejacket and always have a means of calling and signalling for help.’

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI launched this morning (Friday 28 July) to locate a vessel sending an alarm from their positioning beacon off the coast of West Cork.

The Irish Coast Guard requested the launch just before 10am after it had picked up an alarm from an EPIRB (electronic position indication radio beacon) on a yacht half a mile south west of Cape Clear Island. 

Coastguard staff at Mizen Head had no success raising the occupants of the yacht on their VHF so the Baltimore all-weather lifeboat was launched to investigate at the last known co-ordinates of the vessel.

Meanwhile, 10.30am the coastguard finally made contact with the yacht’s two occupants on their VHF and established that the EPIRB had been activated by accident.

Speaking after the callout, Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat navigator Micheal Cottrell said: “It is important to ensure the secure fastening of an EPIRB on board a vessel and to regularly check that it is in good working order. Also, whilst out at sea it is important to keep radio watch on Channel 16. 

“If you get into difficulty at sea, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI’s volunteers were surprised to find a man whose cruiser had grounded near Hare Island had spent the night alone stranded in the lake as he was reluctant to call for help.

Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI to investigate a report from a passing cruiser this morning (Friday 28 July) of a vessel, thought to have slipped its moorings, that was aground behind Hare Island.

At 9.15am the lifeboat crew located the 16ft cruiser in Church Bay, behind Hare Island on the Clare shore. Church Bay is known for particular hazards such as sudden shallows and rocks. 

The lifeboat proceeded with caution and, when sufficiently close to the cruiser, an RNLI volunteer waded to the vessel – where a man was found on board, asleep in the cabin below.

Within half an hour the boat was off the rocks and taken under tow to the harbour at Garrykennedy.

Its skipper, who was safe and unharmed and wearing his lifejacket, told the lifeboat crew that he had been stranded on his boat since 8pm the previous evening, but was reluctant to call the rescue services, anxious not to put anyone out. 

Winds overnight on Lough Derg were strong westerlies blowing Force 5 and gusting up to Force 7.

“No callout is routine — our training and experience tells us to expect the unexpected,” said Lough Derg RNLI helm Eleanor Hooker.

“We approached what we thought was an empty vessel which had slipped its moorings and found a person onboard who had spent the night alone, stranded in stormy conditions, and without help coming for them. 

“The RNLI are there to answer any call for help. No lifeboat launch is ever a waste of our time or resources.”

Pat Garland, deputy launching authority with Lough Derg RNLI, added: “I would urge all boat users when is difficulty to call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.

“RNLI lifeboats are launched at the request of the Irish Coast Guard, who then make the correct call on which search and rescue assets to deploy to the scene. 

“We would urge the public not to delay calling for help. This could have had a very different outcome.”

#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI volunteer crews were woken by their pagers at 3.34am yesterday morning (Wednesday 26 July) after a lone yachtsman ran aground at the mouth of Ardglass Marina in Co Down.

The all-weather lifeboat Eleanor and Bryant Girling was on the way by 3.55am and arrived on scene with the casualty vessel 45 minutes later. 

The lifeboat crew found the yacht hard aground and listing heavily to starboard on the breakwater protecting the marina. 

Under command of coxswain William Chambers, the RNLI crew tried manoeuvring their lifeboat close to the yacht only to find the tide had fallen too much and was too far away to retrieve the lone sailor from his vessel.

With full co-ordination between the RNLI and Newcastle Coastguard on the shore, the lifeboat pulled back to deeper water and provided safety cover while members of the coastguard team carried out a rescue from the shore.

The casualty was removed from the vessel for his own safety with no injuries, and with everyone accounted for the lifeboat was stood down.

#RNLI - Clifden RNLI launched their inshore and all-weather lifeboats on Tuesday night (27 July) to reports of a pleasure boat in difficulty east of Davillaun Island.

The eight people on board had been to Inishbofin for the day and were returning home when the weather turned, becoming wet and foggy.

The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch by Malin Head Coast Guard at 6.58pm to assist the broken down pleasure craft. 

Once the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was on scene, one of the RNLI crew boarded the pleasure boat to assist the casualties and to secure a tow line. 

Four of the casualties were then transferred onto the lifeboat where they received casualty care while the remaining four people stayed on the pleasure boat as it was towed towards the pier at Aughris, over an hour away.

When the Mersey class all-weather lifeboat arrived, all eight casualties were put on board and taken inside to warm up. The RNLI crew also radioed ahead to request an ambulance to meet them at Aughris as one of the group required further medical attention.

The casualty was assessed by paramedics and transferred to hospital for further treatment. The remaining seven people disembarked the lifeboat at the pier.

“This callout shows how conditions can change quite quickly at sea,” said Clifden RNLI lifeboat helm Daniel Whelan. “Visibility became poor as the weather deteriorated. Thankfully we have a fast responding Atlantic 85 lifeboat and a well-trained crew. Having the all-weather lifeboat provide cover was invaluable, providing warmth and comfort for the casualties.

“Safety at sea is so important. Wear plenty of layers. Tell someone your plan and bring a suitable form of communication. The group in trouble did all of this which made it much easier to locate them.”

Clifden RNLI coxswain David Barry added: “This was a very successful callout with both lifeboat crew working well together to bring the casualties to safety. It was a beautiful day but the weather turned as the evening approached. We wish the patient a speedy recovery.”

Baltimore RNLI was launched this afternoon (Tuesday 25 July) to locate a vessel which had become lost in fog off the coast of West Cork.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from the Irish Coast Guard at 3.32pm after a man aboard a 6.5m RIB (rigid inflatable boat) raised the alarm that he was unsure of his position due to heavy fog.

The vessel with one person on board had left Galley Cove on a day voyage. However heavy fog descended on the coastline and being unsure of his position he contacted the Coast Guard to request assistance. Baltimore lifeboat proceeded to a location directed by Mizen Head Coast Guard and once in the area used direction finding off the casualty’s radio signal to locate the vessel. The vessel was located at 4.20pm. At the time there was poor visibility, less than 100m on occasion, with a calm sea and no wind.

Baltimore lifeboat escorted the vessel back to Galley Cove, arriving at 4.38pm, and then returned to the station in Baltimore at 5.30pm.

The lifeboat had six volunteer crew onboard, Coxswain Aidan Bushe, Mechanic Brian McSweeney and crewmen Sean McCarthy, Pat Collins, Kieran Collins and Jim Griffiths. Kieran Cotter provided shore crew assistance at the lifeboat house.

Speaking following the call out, Aidan Bushe, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Coxswain said: ‘It is important when putting to sea to have an adequate means of communication and navigation on board. If you get into difficulty at sea, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’