Northern Ireland’s July Bank Holiday weekend got under way with two separate call-outs for volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI.
On Thursday 9 July and Friday 10 July, the volunteer crew were tasked by Belfast Coastguard to two separate incidents in the Lusty Beg area of Lower Lough Erne.
Shortly before 3pm on Thursday, Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat, the John and Jean Lewis, was launched to assess a boat which had lost power and was drifting. Winds were westerly Force 1 and visibility was good.
The volunteer crew located the casualty vessel and found the seven people onboard to be safe and well. The vessel was experiencing mechanical problems, so it was decided that the safest option was to tow it to the nearest jetty.
On Friday 10 July, shortly before 10.30pm, Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched following reports of a missing person in the vicinity of Lusty Beg Island. Winds were south-westerly Force 3 and with good visibility.
The volunteer crew arrived at the scene to assist colleagues from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Lough Erne Coastguard Rescue Team and Coleraine Coastguard Rescue Team.
The missing person was subsequently located by colleagues from the PSNI, and the search operation was stood down by Belfast Coastguard.
Elsewhere on Lough Erne, at 2.40pm on Sunday (12 July), Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched to provide casualty care for a 21-year-old woman who had received a deep laceration to her leg while in the water at Derryadd.
When the volunteer crew arrived on scene, the NI Ambulance Service were already there and providing casualty care to the woman. The lifeboat crew offered assistance to the ambulance crew and were released by the coastguard when the ambulance left the scene a short time later. Winds were easterly Force 3 and visibility was good with clear skies during the call-out.
It was a busy Sunday for Carrybridge RNLI with three shouts in six hours to assist 13 people | Credit: RNLI/Carrybridge
Later that evening, the lifeboat launched again at 7.13pm at the requested of Belfast Coastguard to assess a 17.5ft speedboat, with four adults and one child on board, which had lost drive around half a mile south-west of Belleisle. Weather conditions remained the same as earlier.
Four of the casualties were transferred to the lifeboat while a lifeboat crew member transferred to the casualty boat.
The lifeboat crew assessed the situation and, due to the vessel’s location and it being a possible navigational hazard for other cruisers who could attempt a rescue, it was decided that the safest course of action was to carry out a tow and safely bring the vessel back to Carrybridge with the owner’s permission.
Lough Erne Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT) were waiting at Carrybridge Public Slipway to assist with the safe mooring and then recovery of the vessel to its trailer.
While this part of the shout was being completed, further information was received from Belfast Coastguard requesting the lifeboat make its way to an area close to Tamlaght Bay, where another 24.5ft sports cruiser with seven people on board had broken down. The lifeboat diverted from Carrybridge shortly after 8.30pm to attend this call-out.
On arrival at the scene, the lifeboat crew found that the casualties were safe and well but their vessel would not start. Due to the vessel’s location in a busy area for other water users and the light starting to fade, it was decided to set up a tow to safely bring the vessel back to Carrybridge with the owner’s permission.
Lough Erne CRT were also diverted from the earlier shout to assist in the safe mooring of the vessel at its private berth.
Speaking later, Stephen Scott, lifeboat operations manager at Carrybridge RNLI said: “During the busy holiday season when our waterways are busy we would ask all water users to carry out regular maintenance to their vessels, to have charts to aid navigation for the area you are in, lifejackets for all on board and have a means of calling for assistance if you find yourself in trouble.
“If you see someone in trouble on the water or are in difficulties yourself the number to dial is 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
