Volunteer lifeboat crew at Fethard RNLI were requested to launch their lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard on Sunday afternoon (1 May) at 3pm, to the aid of four people on board a yacht south of Duncannon Fort in the Waterford Estuary.
Fethard RNLI’s inshore lifeboat crew were attending the Shine A Light Festival at Hook Lighthouse where the crew were offering sea safety advice to the locals and visitors in the area, when Irish Coast Guard requested their assistance. Fully prepared with shore crew and boat crew, they proceeded straight to Duncannon launching the lifeboat from Duncannon strand. Conditions were good with a force 4 south-westerly wind and a flood tide.
The lifeboat proceeded to the vessel in difficulty and established that the crew of the casualty vessel were all ok. Irish Coast Guard Helicopter, Rescue 117, stood by overhead until Fethard lifeboat crew carried out an assessment of the situation. The lifeboat crew then established a tow line, brought the yacht to deeper safe water, where the yacht made its way under its own power.
Speaking about the incident Fethard’s Volunteer Helm Eoin Bird said, ‘We’d like to thank the member of the public who dialled 999 or 112 to raise the alarm with the Coast Guard.’ Eoin also went on to say, ‘As a general reminder, as this year’s leisure boat season gets underway, it is recommended to those taking to the water, to ensure that their maritime charts are up to date, that they have relevant tide tables, at least one means of communication and that all equipment on their vessel is fully operational and in date. And most importantly, that all crew on board always wear a lifejacket.’
