On Friday afternoon (10 April), Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist a person on 28ft motor cruiser, aground south of the Rabbit Islands in Rossmore Bay, on the Co Galway shore of Lough Derg.
The inshore lifeboat Jean Spier was launched at 4.20pm with volunteers Steve Smyth, Owen Cavanagh and James Corballis on board. Weather conditions had a south-southeasterly wind, strong breeze Force 6 to moderate gale Force 7 with gusts. Visibility was fair to poor with frequent heavy hail squalls.
At 4:35pm, as the lifeboat travelled north, the RNLI volunteers could see the casualty vessel on a known and dangerous rocky shoal inside Navigation Marker F. The navigator plotted a safe course for the helm to steer in his approach the casualty vessel.
As the area is strewn with marked shoals, the helm asked crew to prepare to anchor and veer back to the casualty. The lifeboat veered back safely to within four metres of the casualty vessel. Its skipper was found to be safe, unharmed and wearing a lifejacket. It emerged that his vessel had lost propulsion, and with the strong winds had been pushed on to the rocks.
With a rocky shoal astern of the lifeboat and the casualty vessel, it was clear that the lifeboat could get no closer. Communicating with the skipper, a crew member heaved a lifeboat line to the casualty who secured it to a cleat on their stern, with the other end secured round the Sampson post on the lifeboat. This line acted as a guide rope for the casualty, and he was asked to hold it and not let go once his transfer to the lifeboat began. Crew then heaved a second line which the casualty secured around his waist.
When the RNLI volunteer gave the signal, the casualty and RNLI crew member both entered the shallow water, whereupon the casualty was able to walk the short distance to the lifeboat, using the guide rope, and be assisted over the sponson.
Once the casualty was seated and secure, the crew cut the guide line and moved to the bow to recover the anchor warp and anchor, and navigate into safer waters. The casualty was taken across the lake to Coolbawn Quay on the Tipperary shore where he had left his car.
Commenting on the call-out, Peter Kennedy, launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI said: “I commend the skilled and successful rescue by the RNLI volunteers under such testing conditions. Thankfully the casualty was wearing his lifejacket and had called for assistance as soon as he found himself in difficulty.
“We would remind boat users to ensure you check the weather forecast before embarking on your journey. If you get into difficulty or see somebody else in trouble on the water, dial 999 or 112 or use VHF Channel 16 and ask for the coastguard.”
