Aran Islands RNLI Lifeboat launched last night (Tuesday, 16 May) to reports of kayakers in difficulty half a mile off Kilronan Pier. A member of the public raised the alarm after seeing them in trouble, and Shannon Coast Guard requested the lifeboat crew to launch at 7.55 pm.
The group of six kayakers with two kayaks, were quickly located on nearby rocks and due to their location, the lifeboat crew had to launch a Y-boat, a small inflatable rescue craft kept onboard the all-weather Severn class lifeboat. Using the small rescue craft, the lifeboat crew managed to get in close to the rocks and transfer all six casualties onboard the All-Weather lifeboat. Conditions on the evening were calm and the weather was dry.
On returning to Kilronan Pier, the group were medically assessed by a waiting doctor. Doolin Coast Guard and Rescue 115 were also in attendance at the scene.
Commenting on the successful callout, RNLI Coxswain Trevor Devereux said, ‘This was a good outcome, as it could have been a very different story. When kayaking, make sure to bring the correct equipment and that you tell someone where you are going. Always wear a lifejacket and make sure you have a means of calling for help. In this case, a member of the public raised the alarm when they saw something wrong, and thankfully, due to their vigilance, the group were rescued with no serious injuries.’