#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Kilmore Quay RNLI in Co Wexford had a busy time last week with five call-outs in seven days.
In the first incident on Monday 13 May, a French 6.5m yacht with two people on board got into difficulty as it was taking part in a 'mini Fastnet' yacht race.
The vessel’s crew decided to make for Kilmore Quay due to adverse weather. The yacht had no engine due to race rules and so the lifeboat was reqested to help the crew safely get into the harbour.
The second call-out came last Wednesday evening (15 May) when a member of the public reported to Dublin Coast Guard that a yacht was close in shore and flashing a light.
As the lifeboat crew were letting go the ropes, the coastguard made contact with the vessel, which was at anchor and did not require any assistance.
On Friday afternoon 17 May, the volunteer crew was alerted when an 8m pleasure craft with two people on board had fouled its propeller a quarter mile off the South Head of the Great Saltee Island.
The vessel was freed by the lifeboat crew using a grapnel hook and cutting the rope before towing the boat back to Kilmore Quay Marina.
And last Sunday 19 May saw two shouts which were similar in nature.
The first in the morning involved a small leisure craft with four people on board which suffered engine failure. The crew was relying on a mobile phone for their communications and combined with poor English, it made the task of finding them more challenging.
The crew members were eventually located to the west of the Saltees and were brought back ashore safe and well.
Later the same day, another small leisure craft - this time with three people aboard and again relying on a mobile phone for their communications - had lost power while fishing at the south side of the Little Saltee Island.
The lifeboat was on scene a short time later and towed the vessel back to Kilmore Quay.