Clogherhead RNLI came to the aid of a fishing trawler that was taking on water just half a nautical mile east of the station's boathouse on Wednesday afternoon. The Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Michael O'Brien launched at 3.15 pm with five volunteer crew members on board, supported by six shore crew.
Before the lifeboat arrived, the lone fisherman had transferred to a nearby fishing vessel after becoming concerned that his boat was at risk of sinking.
The casualty was taken aboard the RNLI lifeboat. He was uninjured and did not require medical treatment. RNLI volunteers then came alongside the stricken vessel and deployed portable pumps to remove the incoming water. An RNLI crew member remained aboard with the fishing boat's skipper to monitor the water ingress.
Once the vessel's engine was restarted, the lifeboat escorted it safely back to Port Oriel under its own power.
Clogherhead Coast Guard, the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter also attended the incident and remained on standby.
Speaking after the rescue, Clogherhead RNLI Coxswain Tomas Whelehan praised the skipper's response. "The Skipper did the right thing calling for help, his quick actions and the assistance of a nearby fishing vessel, combined with the close proximity of the lifeboat, helped ensure a positive outcome," he said.
Whelehan added that the incident highlighted the importance of acting quickly when a vessel begins taking on water. He urged anyone working at sea to keep their vessel well maintained, always wear a lifejacket, carry a means of communication and, if in difficulty, contact the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 or by calling 999 or 112.
