At 4.25pm on Sunday May 6, Lough Derg RNLI launched following a request by Valentia Coast Guard to assist three people, two adults and a child, aboard a 27ft cruiser reported to be aground near Kilgarvan on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.
Winds were south-westerly, Force 1. Visibility was very good.
The Lifeboat, with helm Owen Cavanagh, Keith Brennan and Joe O'Donoghue on board, arrived on scene at 4.38pm. An RNLI volunteer was transferred across to the casualty vessel, where all on board were found to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets. The RNLI crew member made a thorough check of the cruiser and found that it was not holed, but had suffered damage to its propellers.
The lifeboat took the cruiser off the rocks and towed it to Dromineer Harbour, where, at 6.15pm, it was safely tied alongside.
The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 6.30pm
Owen Cavanagh, helm on the Lifeboat, advises boat users to ‘plan your passage before setting out, and take particular care to navigate the correct side of the navigation marks to avoid running aground.'