RNLI lifeboats from Ireland and the UK launched to a Mayday distress call from a fishing vessel taking on water on Friday (8 March).

The 24-metre Irish trawler had five crew onboard and was some 21 nautical miles northwest of Strumble Head near Fishguard in south Wales when HM Coastguard tasked the charity's Welsh lifeboats just before midday.

The all-weather lifeboats and volunteer crew from St Davids, Fishguard, Newquay made best speed to the scene.

HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter R936 from Caernarfon also tasked to assist and was first to arrive on scene, lowering a water pump to the vessel.

With no casualties reported, Newquay lifeboat was stood down en route. St Davids’ Tamar class lifeboat Norah Wortley arrived at 1.10pm with sea conditions rough in a Force 5-7 easterly wind. Fishguard RNLI’s Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII arrived at 1.35pm.

With no engine damage and the coastguard pump sufficiently reducing the water level, it was decided the fishing vessel would be escorted the 35 nautical miles west to Ireland.

St Davids RNLI escorting the trawler as Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrives | Credit: RNLI/St Davids

Kilmore Quay RNLI’s Tamar class lifeboat Victor Freeman was tasked by the Irish Coast Guard to complete the escort and launched at 2.10pm. At this point, the Fishguard lifeboat was stood down and returned to Wales.

St Davids RNLI escorted the trawler a further 20 nautical miles west-southwest towards Tuskar Rock until the Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrived at 3.20pm and took over the escort, getting the vessel safely into port around 6pm.

Will Chant, RNLI coxswain for St Davids RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat said: “This rescue was a good, fast response from all crews, which with an incident of this nature was exactly what was required.

“Fortunately the salvage pump from the helicopter was all that was required in order to quell the problems on board the trawler, and after that it was a straightforward but long job of escorting the vessel to safety.

“Our crew even received ‘welcome to Ireland’ messages on their mobile phones, such was the distance from home.”

Kilmore Quay RNLI volunteers were called out on two separate occasions on Monday, September 11, to assist two yachts in distress.

The first call came in early in the morning when the crew launched to help two people on board a yacht with a fouled prop approximately two miles south of Carnsore Point. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 8:10 am, and after assessing the situation, the crew towed the yacht back to Kilmore Quay. The vessel arrived back at the harbour at 9:30 am.

Later in the day, the crew received another call for assistance. This time, they were asked to help a lone sailor whose yacht had lost all power near the Saltee Islands. The lifeboat was launched at 2:30 pm and arrived on scene ten minutes later. After assessing the situation, the crew transferred an RNLI crew member to the yacht to establish a towline.

The vessel was towed back to Kilmore Quay harbour, arriving at 3:20 pm where they were met by an ambulance as a precaution.

A fundraising exhibition in aid of Co. Wexford’s five RNLI lifeboat stations will share in the proceeds from the event held in the Stella Maris Centre in Kilmore Quay on Saturday 26 and Sunday, 27 August.

The exhibition 'A Maritime History of Co. Wexford' will be hosted by Rosslare Harbour Maritime Heritage Centre and will feature displays from the maritime heritage centre. Also on display will be the John Power Collection with other contributors from around the county.

Admission to the exhibition in Kilmore Quay is free of charge and will be open on both days 11 a.m to 5.30 p.m.

People are asked to make donations during their visits while local businesses and groups are also being encouraged to support the RNLI fundraiser.

The fundraiser is to benefit the county’s two offshore lifeboats stationed at Rosslare Harbour and Kilmore Quay and three inshore lifeboats located at Courtown Harbour, Wexford and Fethard-on-Sea.

The exhibition will span a period of 200 years through artefacts, photographs, paintings, drawings and models of sailing ships, steamers and of course the lifeboats.

More from the Wexford People on the fundraiser which is also to feature the development of the Port of New Ross along with the building  of the replica of Dunbrody which was built on the banks of the Barrow in 1998.

On Saturday afternoon, Kilmore Quay RNLI came to the rescue of three people stranded on a RIB off Ballyhealy Beach. The all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, was launched after the Irish Coast Guard received a call from a concerned member of the public. The RIB was anchored approximately 100 meters off the beach, and the weather was sunny but with a strong southwesterly breeze blowing at Force 6 to 7, causing large waves to form close to the shore.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene at 3:30 pm and quickly established that the three people on board were safe and well. They were transferred to the lifeboat for passage back to Kilmore Quay, and a towline was established to the RIB. The lifeboat set off for Kilmore Quay and arrived back in the harbour at 4:50 pm. The casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina by the Kilmore Quay unit of the Irish Coast Guard, who also took care of the three casualties when they disembarked from the lifeboat. The lifeboat was made ready for service again by the crew.

Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace expressed gratitude that the outcome was good and urged anyone heading out to sea to tell someone where they are going and when they will be back. He also emphasised the importance of carrying a reliable means of communication, such as a VHF or a mobile phone in a waterproof case, in case of an emergency. Grace thanked the Kilmore Quay Coast Guard unit for their assistance during the rescue operation.

Rosslare Harbour and Kilmore Quay RNLI, in a joint operation, came to the assistance of two people on board a yacht that was taking on water eight miles northeast of Rosslare Harbour on Thursday evening (13 July 2023)

The Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer crew were requested to launch their Severn class lifeboat Donald and Barbara Broadhead, by the Irish Coast Guard at 4.52 pm. The lifeboat under Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and with six crew members on board, launched at 5.10 pm, arriving on scene at 5.30pm. At the time, a Force 5 south westerly wind was blowing with moderate seas but with good visibility.

Having assessed the situation and in consultation with the yacht crew, two lifeboat crew boarded the casualty vessel with a bilge pump, preventing further flooding aboard the vessel. A tow was established at 5.40pm. However, given the inclement weather conditions at Rosslare Harbour, it was decided that it would be safer to bring the yacht to Kilmore Quay harbour.

Following a request by the Irish Coast Guard, the volunteer RNLI crew at Kilmore Quay, who at the time were taking part in the opening of the annual Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival, launched their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, arriving on scene at Carnsore Point at 8.15pm.

The crews worked together to transfer the tow to the second lifeboat relieving the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat and crew to return to base. Two members of the Kilmore Quay crew were transferred to the casualty vessel and the boats made their way back to Kilmore Quay arriving just after 10.00pm.

Speaking following the call out, Deputy Launch Authority, Tony Kehoe, said: ‘I would like to commend both crews on the successful outcome which was down to the excellent cooperation and teamwork between all involved. I would also like to commend the crew of the yacht for raising the alarm when they did, ensuring we got to them in time. It is vital to have proper means of communication such as VHF radio when heading out to sea as they did.’

The Rosslare Harbour Crew involved in the call out were Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke, mechanic Mick Nicholas, crew members: Dave McCusker, Paul McCormack, Conor Barry, Keith Morris and Peter Carr.

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call out were Coxswain Aidan Bates, mechanic Philip Walsh, crew members: Sean Furlong, Michelle Hinchy, Mark Power, Tom Lambert and Michael Roche.

Kilmore Quay RNLI volunteer crew were called late on Saturday night to assist a yacht with four people on board that had lost power at sea, having also launched in the afternoon to reports of four swimmers in difficulty at a local beach.

The crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard at 3.40 pm on Saturday, 24 June, to reports of four swimmers in difficulty at Ballyteige Burrow beach, west of Kilmore Quay harbour.

Two friends went swimming from the beach and found themselves unable to swim back to shore. Back ashore, their friends noticed they were in difficulty and rang the Irish Coast Guard to raise the alarm, while another took the ring buoy from the beach and swam out to assist the pair in difficulty.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Eugene Kehoe immediately launched and made its way to the scene. Meanwhile, another swimmer and a kayaker, also seeing the pair in difficulty, had made their way to the pair to lend assistance. A small boat that was nearby had also arrived on scene and recovered three of the swimmers, who were then transferred to the lifeboat. The fourth swimmer was recovered by the Y-boat launched from the lifeboat. On return to Kilmore Quay Harbour, the lifeboat was met by the Kilmore Quay Irish Coast Guard unit and a paramedic. One of the swimmers had swallowed some seawater and was taken to hospital as a precaution by the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 117.

At 11:09 pm Saturday night, the Irish Coast Guard requested the volunteer crew to respond to a Pan Pan call to assist four people aboard a yacht that had lost all power. The lifeboat, under Coxswain Eugene Kehoe with six crew members on board, immediately launched and made its way to the 12m yacht situated 18 miles southeast of Kilmore Quay. Conditions at the time were drizzly with poor visibility, light southeasterly winds and a slight sea swell.

Arriving on scene approximately one hour later, the lifeboat crew checked that all on board the yacht was safe and well before assessing the situation with the vessel. A decision was made to establish a towline and return to the nearest port, which was Kilmore Quay. The passage back to port with the vessel under tow took just over two and a half hours. Arriving back in the harbour at 2:53am, the casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina. The lifeboat returned to its berth and was made ready for service again by the crew.

Speaking following the call outs, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace, said: ‘'Thankfully both call outs had a happy ending. The young people at the beach did the right thing in raising the alarm when they noticed their friends in trouble, which helped to prevent the situation from becoming much worse. Always remember when you see someone in trouble call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. “

Kilmore Quay RNLI crew members Michelle Hinchy and Trevor Devereux took a rare day off from the pager yesterday for a special reason. The couple switched their lifejackets and yellow wellies for wedding day finery to marry in a beautiful ceremony surrounded by family and friends.

However, the day could not pass without a stop at the lifeboat station and some photos with Kilmore Quay’s Tamar class all-weather lifeboat, Killarney. Between them the bride and groom have over 50 years voluntary service with Kilmore Quay RNLI. Michelle, currently the station’s only female crew member, is also training to become a lifeboat navigator. Trevor is a qualified lifeboat Coxswain and mechanic, and alongside his volunteering duties, recently took up the role of Regional Resilience Coxswain Mechanic working at other lifeboat stations when needed.

Speaking following their wedding, Michelle said: ‘We had a wonderful day. The RNLI is a huge part of our lives, and it was odd not to be carrying a pager today but fantastic to celebrate with all our family, friends and especially our RNLI family, some that had travelled from far and wide to be here.’

Members of the station team were delighted to join the happy couple on their special day and the whole crew extend their best wishes to Trevor and Michelle for continued happiness in their life together.

John Grace, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘Michelle and Trevor are very much a part of our RNLI family here in Kilmore Quay. All of us at the station send them our congratulations and wish them fair winds and following seas.’

Kilmore Quay RNLI responded to two separate requests from the Irish Coast Guard for assistance with pleasure craft in the vicinity of the Saltee Islands over the weekend.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard at 2.00 pm on Saturday to assist a rigid inflatable boat (R.I.B.) with five people on board that had lost steering. The lifeboat launched at 2:18 pm and made its way to the south side of the Great Saltee, where the crew of the R.I.B. had managed to tie on to a buoy and await assistance. All on board were safe and well. The lifeboat crew established a towline and brought the boat back to Kilmore Quay, arriving at 3.12 pm.

At 5.30 pm on Sunday evening, the crew responded to a request from the Irish Coast Guard to assist a lone sailor on an 8m yacht approximately six nautical miles southeast of Kilmore Quay. The yacht had experienced a navigation system failure. Arriving on the scene at 6.00 pm and after checking the person onboard was safe and well, a towline was established.

The yacht was brought back to Kilmore Quay harbour arriving at 7.25 pm.

The weather and sea conditions were good on both occasions.

Speaking following both callouts, Kilmore Quay RNLI Coxswain, Eugene Kehoe, said: ‘Even the best-maintained equipment can sometimes go wrong, so it is important always to be prepared for when it does happen as these people were. They did the right thing in calling for help when they did. I would urge anyone heading out to sea always carry a reliable means of communication, VHF, or a mobile phone in a waterproof case in case you need to call for help and always wear a lifejacket. If you do get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’

Kilmore Quay RNLI last night came to the aid of an injured fisherman on board a fishing vessel 33 nautical miles south of Kilmore Quay.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat Killarney by the Irish Coast Guard at 10.23 pm to evacuate an injured person from a fishing vessel. The man was working on a 24-metre fishing trawler located 33 nautical miles south of Kilmore Quay when he suffered a serious injury to his hand.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Eugene Kehoe and with six crew members onboard, immediately launched and made its way to the scene, arriving at 11.45 pm. Once on scene, the casualty was assessed and then taken onboard the lifeboat where he was attended to by RNLI first aiders on the return journey to Kilmore Quay. The lifeboat arrived back in the harbour at 1.17 am where an ambulance was waiting to take the casualty to hospital.

Speaking following the call out, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Coxswain, Eugen Kehoe said: ‘This was a good outcome, and thankfully, conditions were calm and favourable. We want to wish the injured man all the best and a speedy recovery. I would also like to commend our volunteer crew who, despite the late call and darkness of night, did not hesitate to respond.’

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call-out were Coxswain Eugene Kehoe, Philip Walsh, Aidan Bates, Nigel Kehoe, Trevor Devereux, Sean Furlong, Robbie Connolly and Deputy Launching Authority Eddie Byrne.

Kilmore Quay RNLI launched in County Wexford this morning (1 May) to assist nine people onboard an angling charter boat that had fouled its prop east of the Saltee Islands.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard this morning. The lifeboat under Coxswain Eugene Kehoe and six crew members onboard, arrived on scene at 10:00 am. Having checked all onboard were safe and well, a towline was quickly established. The lifeboat was soon underway to Kilmore Quay, arriving back at the harbour at 10.43am. Weather and sea conditions were good at the time.

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call-out were Coxswain Eugene Kehoe, Philip Walsh, Aidan Bates, Nigel Kehoe, Adam Kelly, Michelle Hinchy, Dean Roche.