Volunteer lifeboat crew at Red Bay RNLI launched at 5am this morning (5 November) to assist a two man American crew aboard a 40 ft yacht that had run aground off Waterfoot Pier near Red Bay in county Antrim. The yacht was travelling from Oban in Scotland to Howth Yacht Club when it ran aground.
The call for help had originally come last night at 8.55pm and Red Bay RNLI was launched to assist. On arrival they found the yacht hard aground at Waterfoot Pier. The lifeboat went to assist along with a nearby fishing vessel but with a low tide they found that the yacht was hard aground and stuck fast.
With conditions good and visibility clear the lifeboat crew shot the anchors off the yacht to secure it and ensure that it would remain safe during the evening. They checked that the two American crew aboard were unharmed and the Coastguard kept in touch with them during the night. With the tide set to rise at 5am this morning Red Bay RNLI launched again and was able to free the yacht from the rocks. The two men were taken to a nearby mooring before they will continue on their journey to Howth in Dublin.
Commenting on the callout Red Bay RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer Paddy McLaughlin said, ‘Thankfully conditions were good last night but we were concerned that they were due to change this morning. The lifeboat launched at 5am when the tide had risen and the yacht was safely refloated with no damage sustained. The two men who are none the worse for their ordeal will be able to continue on their journey to Howth this morning.’