Four people were rescued by the Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat earlier today when their small powerboat hit rocks off Killiney Beach in south county Dublin. Nobody was injured in the incident that occurred shortly after 11am while the two men and two women were enjoying a pleasure outing.
The 22-foot open powerboat hit the submerged rocks two hours after low-tide and the collision caused damage to the engine. The crew contacted the Irish Coastguard who alerted the RNLI at Dun Laoghaire and the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) launched within ten minutes.
The casualty vessel dropped anchor close to the rocks to avoid being driven onto the beach by the fresh breeze and flood tide. On arrival, the ALB launched its daughter boat with two crew that passed a tow-line to the casualty that was then brought to Dun Laoghaire.
"Before taking a boat-trip, its important to check for local knowledge that will help avoid significant hazards," commented Stephen Wynne, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Dun Laoghaire. "The four people rescued were all wearing life-jackets and followed the correct procedure in calling for assistance."