Lough Derg RNLI continued what’s been a busy few days on the lake on Monday afternoon (29 August) when its volunteers were called on to assist five people on a cruiser aground in Scariff Bay.
At 2.45pm the inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Doireann Kennedy, Chris Parker and Steve Smyth on board, headed for the reported location east of Bushy Island at the southwest of the lake. Winds were southeasterly Force 3 and visibility was good.
The lifeboat located the casualty vessel, a 38ft cruiser, at 3pm and made a cautious approach with an RNLI volunteer taking soundings off the bow.
All five people on board were safe and unharmed and were requested to don their lifejackets.
The cruiser was aground on a rocky shoal with large rocks visible at its stern and bow and with sand to the port side.
The lifeboat lay alongside the casualty vessel’s port side while a volunteer climbed on board to check whether the vessel was damaged or holed.
Accompanied by the skipper, the RNLI volunteer checked under the floorboards, in the bilge and engine housing where they found a hairline break in the hull below the water line that was permitting ingress of water.
It was decided that the safest course of action was to drop anchor, secure the vessel and take all five people off and to the safety of Mountshannon Harbour, where crew would help the casualties make contact with a marina and marine engineer with facilities to recover their boat.
At 3.30pm the lifeboat delivered all five people ashore at Mounstshannon. After assisting them to make contact with a marine engineer, the lifeboat was returned to station to be readied for its next service.
Peter Kennedy, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to “dial 999 or 112 and ask for marine rescue if in difficulty on the lake”.
Monday’s callout follows similar shouts on Friday and Thursday to boats run aground on the lake as summer draws to a close.
