#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI launched to assist a yacht in difficulty before 10am yesterday morning (Sunday 11 May) just as lifeboat volunteers were preparing to launch on a crew exercise in Wicklow Bay.
The call for assistance from the yacht with three people on board was received by the Irish Coast Guard, who tasked Wicklow RNLI to the scene.
Both of the station’s lifeboats were immediately launched to attend to the 27-foot yacht, which was located one mile south of Wicklow Head.
The yacht’s tiller had snapped and the crew had lost all steering control. Conditions in the area were moderately windy, with a westerly Force 4 in moderate seas.
Lifeboat crew members John Vize and Paul Sillery were put on the yacht to assist with establishing a towline. Once this was completed, the vessel was taken in tow by the all-weather lifeboat.
With no tiller on the yacht the tow back to Wicklow was slow; a drogue was rigged to assist with the progress.
The lifeboat arrived back in the harbour at 12.10pm and the yacht with three crew was secured safely alongside the East Pier.
The crew on the all-weather lifeboat were coxswain Ciaran Doyle, mechanic Brendan Copeland, Carol Flahive, Connie O’Gara, John Vize and Alan Goucher. The inshore lifeboat crew were helm Mark Kavanagh, Paul Sillery and Matt Doyle.
