Courtmacsherry RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Val Adnams was called out just before 4pm on Sunday afternoon (10 May) to go to the immediate aid of a swimmer who had got caught in offshore winds off Garrylucas Beach, near the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.
Under coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of five, the lifeboat was under way in 10 minutes and proceeded at top speed to the area of the incident.
It emerged that the swimmer was able to battle a rough sea and got ashore just as the lifeboat arrived on scene. The lifeboat returned to base and was back at its mooring in Courtmacsherry at 5.30pm.
Pagers were again activated at 6pm by Valentia Coast Guard Marine Rescue Coordination Centre as a swimmer was reported in difficulty near Garretstown Beach in an offshore wind.
The lifeboat, again under coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of five, was away in nine minutes and proceeded to the area of the reported casualty.
Also tasked to this incident were the Irish Coast Guard’s Rescue 117 helicopter from Waterford and the Old Head/Seven Heads Coast Guard Unit. A detailed search of the area was carried out by the lifeboat and the helicopter with the coastguard ground unit searching from the shoreline.
After an elaborate search and further discussions with the three people that alerted the authorities, it was established that the person reported in difficulty had made it ashore themselves and the search was stood down just after 7.20pm.
Vincent O’Donovan, Courtmacsherry RNLI launch authority said: “It was a difficult blustery day off the coast today and great thanks is due to the people that quickly called 999 or 112 when they noticed people in difficulty, allowing the rescue authorities to respond quickly.
“It was also great to have 12 volunteer crew members respond quickly within minutes to the call-outs on a busy Sunday in the village.”
The crew on today’s call-outs were coxswain Ken Cashman, mechanics Tadgh McCarthy and Dave Philips, and crew members Niamh Hurley, Mark John Gannon, Luke Hanley, Ian McCarthy and Peter Nunan.
