Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched just before 5pm on Thursday (23 April) at the request of Belfast Coastguard to assist a vessel with two people onboard.
The volunteer crew located the casualty vessel close to Lusty Beg Island. It was established that the vessel had sustained electrical issues, and the two people onboard were safe and well.
To ensure safe passage, the helm deemed the safest option was to tow the vessel to a safe mooring at Muckross Bay. The two people were assisted onshore by the Lough Erne coastguard team.
Winds were south-easterly Force 3 with good visibility at the time.
Speaking following the call-out, Stephen Ingram, Enniskillen RNLI helm advised all boat users: “As we come into the busy summer season, when more people are making the most of our waterways, we would ask all water users to carry out regular maintenance to their vessels and have a means of calling for assistance if you find yourself in trouble.
“If you see someone or something in trouble on the water or are in difficulties yourself the number to dial is 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
Elsewhere in Northern Ireland on Thursday, Newcastle and Kilkeel RNLI’s inshore lifeboats joined a multi-agency search operation after an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon) signal was detected off the Co Down coast.
The volunteer crews were requested to launch their lifeboats by Belfast Coastguard around 10am and search between Newcastle and Kilkeel for any vessels in distress.
Both crews carried out search patterns whilst maintaining a watch on their directional finders for any signals from the EPIRB. The HM Coastguard helicopter from Wales, Rescue 936, was also tasked.
During this time, searches were also carried out on shore by Kilkeel, Newcastle and Portaferry Coastguard teams who subsequently located the EPIRB within the Kilkeel area. When it was deemed that no one was in distress, the call-out was declared a false alarm and all units were stood down.
Speaking later, Newcastle RNLI helm Locky Leneghan said: “This proved to be a false alarm this morning but as always we would much rather launch and find that no one is in difficulty, than not launch at all.
“We would encourage anyone using an EPIRB which can be a lifesaving piece of equipment, to choose a GPS enabled one and to ensure it is registered to the vessel in use.”
