Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat was tasked this morning (Wednesday 13 June) at 5.22am by the Valentia Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a 32 foot Belfast-registered yacht which had its propeller snagged in lobster pots near Dursey Island in County Cork.
The lifeboat Annette Hutton, under command of Coxswain Dave Fenton, was launched within minutes. Forty minutes later, the yacht, with five people on board, was located in a one-metre swell and Force 4 south-westerly winds near Dursey Island.
Lifeboat crew were able to successfully release the disabled yacht which is currently heading for Castletownbere. Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Paul Stevens, commented: ‘This was a straightforward rescue. The crew of the yacht were prudent to call the emergency services when they did. With worsening weather conditions later today, had they not made the call, the outcome could have been very different’.