Clifden RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew were called out on Monday (19 August) to assist two sailors who had run into difficulty in Ballinakill Bay, near Letterfrack.
The sailors of the 10-metre yacht were two sister who had passaged from Cardiff in Wales and broken down in Connemara waters.
The all-weather lifeboat St Christopher around 10.30am and made best speed to the scene with Daniel Whelan in command as coxswain and Joe Acton, Chris Nee, Andy Bell and David O’Reilly as crew. The shore crew to launch and recover the lifeboat were Ian Shanahan and John B Mannion.
Once the vessel was located and the sailors were confirmed to be safe and well, it was decided to establish a tow line and bring the vessel and her crew into safer waters. This was to ensure the safety of those onboard and to prevent a navigational hazard in the maritime channel of Ballinakill Bay.
The yacht and her two sailors were successfully towed by Clifden RNLI and brought to a safe mooring at Cleggan pier.
Speaking about the rescue, Whelan said: “Today’s shout was a good reminder to always request help if you run into difficulty at sea. The weather and sea conditions are very changeable for this time of year and people should not hesitate to call for help if they are in danger. We wish the sailors well on their onward journey.
“We are very fortunate enough in Clifden RNLI to have massive support from our local community. In this case I’d like to thank Johnny King from Cleggan for the use of his mooring during the operation.
“As always, if you see someone in difficultly in the water, please radio or call 999/112 for help — we are ready to respond 24/7.”
