Arklow RNLI was launched on Saturday evening (22 August) to reports of a sighting of an upturned vessel south of Arklow Harbour.
A call had been made to the coastguard by a member of the public, who spotted the vessel adrift.
Volunteer crew from Arklow RNLI launched the all-weather lifeboat at 7.23pm and began a search pattern of the area south of Arklow.
On finding the vessel, which was a small 7ft dinghy, the lifeboat crew determined that there were no people aboard.
The crew took the dinghy aboard their Shannon class lifeboat and brought it back into the harbour. On returning to the harbour, the lifeboat crew learned that it had become separated from a vessel moored there and had drifted out to sea.
Arklow RNLI coxswain Ned Dillon said: “We were glad that no one was onboard when the dinghy began to drift. A drifting vessel can cause concern that someone is in trouble.
“It is important that boats are secured properly and that if they do come loose and drift off, please inform the coastguard.”
