Lough Derg RNLI assisted seven people on two separate vessels in back-to-back callouts on Sunday afternoon (3 July).
Valentia Coast Guard first requested Lough Derg’s lifeboat volunteers to launch to three people on a 25ft motor cruiser adrift with steering failure near Williamstown on the Co Clare shoreline.
At 2.30pm, the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Owen Cavanagh, Joe O’Donoghue, Chris Parker and Ciara Moylan on board in good visibility and a westerly Force 4 wind.
The lifeboat arrived on scene within five minutes and one of the crew transferred to the casualty vessel, whose occupants were found to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.
It emerged that the cruiser had power but its steering had failed, and the skipper had dropped anchor to prevent drift across the navigation channel.
Given the location and weather, the lifeboat helm made the decision to take the vessel under tow. And as there was a fleet of dinghies racing in a regatta in Dromineer Bay, he decided to take the vessel in an alongside tow across the bay to the public harbour at Dromineer.
At 2.50pm, while the RNLI volunteers were securing the casualty vessel alongside in Dromineer Harbour, Valentia Coast Guard requested them to assist four people on a 25ft speedboat in the harbour that was taking on water.
The speedboat came alongside the lifeboat for aid. The skipper had a pump in the stern and an RNLI volunteer brought the lifeboat’s salvage pump from the lifeboat station to pump water from the bow.
Once the speedboat was pumped free of water, the lifeboat helm advised the skipper to have his vessel checked at the nearby marina. However, the skipper decided to return his vessel to his home harbour. Two of his passengers alighted at Dromineer, and the skipper and another of his crew set out.
The lifeboat gave a situation report to Valentia Coast Guard, who requested the lifeboat monitor the casualty vessel’s progress. At 3.50pm, at the Corakeen Islands, the lifeboat reported that the speedboat was making way at speed and now out of sight ahead of the lifeboat. The lifeboat crew were then stood down.
Jeremy Freeman, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users: “Ensure your vessel is serviced and in safe working order and if you find yourself in difficulty on the lake, dial 999 or 112 and ask for marine rescue.”
