At 4.54pm yesterday (Tuesday 2 April), Lough Derg RNLI Jean Spier launched following a request by Valentia Coast Guard to assist one person on board a 27ft cruiser grounded on rocks at Gortmore Point.
Conditions were rough with North Westerly winds, Force 5, gusting to 7/8 with frequent rain squalls.
The volunteer crew, with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan, Keith Brennan and Owen Cavanagh arrived on scene at 5.14pm. The 27ft cruiser had engine failure and was being pushed onto rocks. The skipper had deployed his anchor, but it did not hold initially, and the cruiser was pushed farther behind a rocky shoal before the anchor held.
Lifeboat crew assessed the situation, and decided to go upwind in order to approach the casualty in safe water. An RNLI volunteer took constant soundings of depths.
A lifeboat crew member transferred across to the casualty vessel where he established that the person on board was safe and unharmed. After assessing that the boat was not holed, he set up for a tow, and the lifeboat took the vessel off the shoal and out into safe water.
Once in deep water, and due to the adverse weather conditions, the lifeboat changed to an alongside tow and brought the casualty vessel, with the skipper and the RNLI volunteer onboard, into Terryglass public harbour. The casualty vessel was tied safely alongside at 5.47pm.
Eleanor Hooker, volunteer helm at Lough Derg RNLI said to ‘have your engines serviced and use fresh fuel before first taking to the water after over wintering your boat’
The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service again at 6.45pm
