#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday morning (Sunday 23 November) to assist a fishing vessel with mechanical problems seven miles north of Wicklow Harbour.
The lifeboat, under the command of second coxswain Ciaran Doyle, located the 10-metre vessel with three fishermen on board shortly after 10am near the Breaches Buoy.
Weather conditions in the area were slight sea with westerly wind force two.
A towline was established and the fishing boat was taken in tow back to Wicklow. The lifeboat arrived back in the harbour at 11.20am and secured the fishing vessel with three crew safely alongside the south quay.
The crew on this callout were Doyle, mechanic Brendan Copeland, Carol Flahive, Kevin Rahill, John Vize, Alan Goucher and Peter McCann.
Elsewhere over weekend, the volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI lifeboat were launched on Saturday evening (22 November) to reports of a surfer in difficulty at the town's Main Beach.
As darkness was beginning to fall, the crew were paged at 4.06pm by Malin Head Coast Guard and launched within minutes in rough conditions, making their way to beach. But on approach they were advised that the surfer had made his way ashore and were stood down.
Speaking on their return to the station, volunteer crewman Brian Faulkner said: "We are thankful that this is another callout that had a happy ending.
"As we head into the winter, the sea is getting rougher and evenings are getting shorter – conditions can change at a moments notice and we would always urge water users to be mindful of this."