The volunteer lifeboat crew of Howth RNLI launched their All-Weather Lifeboat yesterday (Friday, 29 December) to reports of a yacht with two people on board that was being blown offshore and unable to make its way back to safety.
Shortly after midday, the Coast Guard received a call from the yacht which gave its position as south of Lambay Island, the largest island off the east coast of Ireland. The sea conditions were challenging and the crew of the yacht were unable to make progress towards their intended destination, and were unable to make their way back to the safety of a harbour.
The volunteer lifeboat crew were paged at 12:11 pm to launch the All-Weather Lifeboat, the Roy Barker III. The crew made their way to the lifeboat station, and launched the lifeboat within ten minutes. Visibility was good, however the winds and sea state were challenging with winds blowing force 5 to 6, and gusting force 7.
A Howth RNLI Lifeboat crew member ready to transfer across to the yacht in difficulty off Lambay Island Photo: Howth RNLI
The lifeboat was on scene in fifteen minutes. The coxswain decided to put a lifeboat crew member on board the yacht to assess the two people on board. The coxswain manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside the yacht and transferred the crew member across. The crew member established that the two people on board were wet and cold but otherwise unharmed. The coxswain decided to take the yacht under tow and to bring it to the safety of Howth harbour.
The crew set up the tow line and once ready, the coxswain again brought the lifeboat alongside the yacht to allow the crew transfer the tow line across. The tow line was secured and the yacht was towed back to Howth. The lifeboat returned to the lifeboat station at 13:40 and was made ready for its next service.
Speaking following the incident, Howth RNLI Second Coxswain Ian Sheridan said: "The RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews are on call 24/7 365 days of the year. As the weather conditions were deteriorating, the crew of the yacht did the right thing in calling for help before it was too late. Our volunteer crew responded to the pager quickly and we were able to launch and locate the yacht within twenty five minutes of their call for help".
