Lough Swilly RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched three times in the in the span of five days in late June after three vessels sustained similar mechanical failures in separate incidents.
The volunteer crew came to the aid of three groups of people onboard each boat, 24 in total, between 23 and 27 June.
With the hot weather, there was higher activity at the coast, resulting in more call0outs. On two occasions, the crew were requested to launch their Shannon class lifeboat by Malin Head Coast Guard while for the other, the crew were diverted from their weekly Tuesday night training exercise.
The difficulty experienced by the boaters in all three call-outs was mechanical failure. Two incidents took place as daylight was fading, which meant time was of the essence in raising the alarm to make the most of good visibility in locating the vessels in natural light.
During all incidents, the coxswains carefully assessed the situation on arrival before deciding that the safest course of action was to establish a tow and bring those onboard to the nearest safe port.
In each call out, the tow was carried out due to the absence of a more suitable vessel and given the risks associated with where the vessels were located at the time.
Commenting on the incidents, Joe Joyce, Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboat operations manager said: “We would like to commend those onboard who took timely action by contacting the coastguard promptly when they knew they were in difficulty and unable to make any safe onward progress.
“As we now enter the months of July and August where we can expect our coast and sea to be busy, we would advise boaters to plan ahead and check their vessels in advance of their trip. Ensure to maintain engines regularly, carry adequate spares, and always carry a means of calling for help such as a VHF radio or mobile phone.
“Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
