#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI's lifeboat crew launched in the early hours of yesterday morning (Saturday 16 July) to assist a 38ft yacht with four people on board.
The sailing vessel, half a mile east of Dunmore East Harbour, had fouled its sails and could not lower them to enter the harbour.
Minutes after launch at 2.20am, the Trent class lifeboat Elizabeth and Ronald arrived on scene to find the sailing vessel with its sails up and fouled. The vessel found it difficult to keep a heading and crew on board could not lower the sails.
The lifeboat came alongside the yacht and two volunteers boarded the yacht to help fix the issue and lower the sails so the yacht could make its way under power to the harbour.
Escorted by the Dunmore East lifeboat, they yacht reached the safety of the harbour at 3:15am.
Dunmore East RNLI coxswain Michael Griffin said: "The crew of the yacht made the right call; visibility was poor at the time and the outcome could have been a lot worse.
"Our two crew, who went on board the yacht, did a great job in sorting out the sails and lowering them so quickly."