A lone sailor was brought safely ashore after Galway RNLI rescued a disabled yacht more than two miles south of Spiddal on Galway Bay on Friday morning. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 10 am following a distress call to the Irish Coast Guard from the skipper of a 30-foot yacht that had lost engine power while motoring west from Galway.
Two crew members were already at Galway Lifeboat Station when the call came in, allowing the lifeboat to launch quickly once the full crew had assembled. Helm David Badger and crew members Paddy Hennelly, Mark Purcell and James Rattigan reached the casualty shortly after 10.30 am.
An Aran Islands ferry, which was nearby when the distress call was made, remained alongside the disabled yacht until the lifeboat arrived.
One RNLI crew member boarded the yacht to check on the sailor, who was found to be uninjured. After assessing the vessel, the crew decided the safest option was to tow it clear of the main shipping channel.
Peter Navan, Launch Authority for Galway RNLI, praised the sailor's prompt actions. "Everything went as it should, starting with the casualty immediately raising the alarm when the boat lost power, which is absolutely the right thing to do," he said.
Navan added that towing was deemed "the best course of action" given the yacht's condition and location in the busy shipping channel. Sea conditions were favourable, with good visibility and a moderate breeze. The lifeboat returned to the station at around 1pm after ensuring the yacht was safely secured, and the sailor was ashore.
Navan also reminded anyone heading afloat to carry a reliable means of calling for help. "Incidents can happen at sea at any time," he said. "Whether that is using a VHF radio or using a mobile phone and dialling 999 or 112 and asking for the Coast Guard."
