Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat volunteers in Northern Ireland responded to two emergency calls within 48 hours over the weekend.
The first call came on Saturday, 31 May, at 6.35pm. HM Coastguard requested assistance for a 36ft yacht near Briggs Buoy at Orlock Point. While en route, the crew was redirected to another yacht in distress.
This second vessel, approximately 26ft long, had one person and a parrot named Sid onboard. The yacht was headed to the Isle of Man when it lost power.
The all-weather lifeboat MacQuarie arrived on scene within 10 minutes. Given the worsening conditions, Coxswain Philip McNamara decided to tow the yacht back to Bangor Harbour.
As the lifeboat approached the harbour, crew member Chris Stewart boarded the yacht to assist the skipper in securing a tow. The yacht reached safety, and the lifeboat returned to Donaghadee by 9pm.
The second emergency occurred early on Monday, 02 June, at 3.50am. Volunteers were alerted to a 38ft yacht with two people onboard, 10 miles north of Mew Island.
With good visibility and moderate seas, the lifeboat reached the yacht within 35 minutes. The vessel was drifting after losing power. The crew were tired but accounted for.
Once again, it was decided to tow the yacht to Bangor Harbour. The lifeboat returned to Donaghadee by 7am, ready for its next call.
Coxswain Philip McNamara stated, “Both skippers requested assistance promptly, which was the correct thing to do. We always recommend checking engines and wearing lifejackets.”
