The volunteer crew at Clifden RNLI were called out on Sunday 19 March to assist a vessel suffering mechanical failure near the island of Inishturk in Co Galway.
At noon the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched under the command of helm James Mullen with Joe Acton and Kenny Flaherty as crew and Shane Conneely as tractor driver.
A call had come in from a local fisherman John O’Toole about a small boat with three passengers which had lost power near Inishturk, south of Omey Island.
Conditions at sea were poor with limited visibility and heavy rain, and the casualty vessel was reportedly drifting towards rocks.
The volunteer crew made their way to the location in less than five minutes, by this time O’Toole had begun to tow the stricken vessel away from the rocks. The lifeboat crew proceeded to escort both boats to safety.
Speaking about the callout, Mullen said: “I would like to commend John O’Toole for his fast actions yesterday. This could have been a very serious outcome for the three passengers involved but John called for assistance firstly, located the boat and was in a position to safely assist them.”
The lifeboat helm also has the following advice for anyone going afloat: “When going to sea we would remind everyone to check their engine and fuel, always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid and carry a means of calling for help. If you see someone in difficulty on or near the water, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.”