The Castletownbere lifeboat was launched on Wednesday morning (23rd July 2025) to assist a local trawler in distress off the West Cork Coast.
The RNLI lifeboat, ‘Annette Hutton’, responded to a report that a 44-foot trawler was aground North of Dursey Sound and taking on water.
The Irish Coast Guard’s Marine Research Coordination Centre tasked the lifeboat at 07:55. It launched swiftly under Coxswain Sean O’Sullivan, with a crew including mechanic Martin Cronin and volunteers Carl Cronin, Dion Kelly, and Will Power.
By 08:40, the lifeboat found the trawler West of Crow Head, as two local fishing boats stood by for help. Conditions at sea were calm.
The Coastguard rescue helicopter ‘Rescue 115’ arrived within ten minutes. The vessel was later deemed capable of making its way under its own power, and the helicopter was stood down.
The lifeboat escorted the trawler back to Castletownbere Pier, arriving at 10:20. One crew member required medical attention upon arrival.
Paul Stevens, Lifeboat Operations Manager, praised the crew for their quick response and thanked the local fishing boats and Coastguard helicopter for their support.
