#RNLI - Two fishermen whose boat was taking on water were brought to safety by Lough Ree RNLI this week.
At 3.45pm on Wednesday (18 April), the volunteer lifeboat crew was tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to go to the aid of two fishermen just south of Inchmore, near the eastern shore of Lough Ree.
While visibility was good, conditions on the lake were quite rough with a swell of 1-2 metres and strong winds measuring Force 6 coming from south-southwest.
The fishermen had got into difficulty when their 17ft aluminium boat began taking on water due to the size of the waves on the lake.
They made their way to the nearest island, Ilanfan, to bring the boat ashore before it could sink. From there they made contact with the coastguard to request assistance.
Lough Ree RNLI helm Tom Bradbury and crew Liam Sherringham and Shane McCormack arrived on scene at 4.10pm. Having ensured the two fishermen were uninjured and the casualty boat hadn’t been damaged by rocks on the island, they proceeded to bail the water out of it.
The lifeboat crew then towed the fishing boat alongside their vessel The Eric Rowse to bring it to deeper waters, where conditions were assessed to be severe enough to prompt a continued tow back to Coosan Point.
“Conditions on Lough Ree can vary greatly depending on the wind direction and speed,” Bradbury sail after the callout.
“We would advise all users of the lake to always ensure they carry a means of communication such as a mobile phone or VHF radio with them, like these two gentlemen did.”
