Six people have been brought safely ashore following a seven-hour overnight operation by Red Bay RNLI after a yacht got into difficulty off Cushendall in gale-force conditions. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 3.22 am on Saturday, 12 September, after Belfast Coastguard received a Mayday from the 46ft yacht.
The vessel was on passage from Oban in Scotland to Portugal when it lost power and steering after making contact with a fish farm in Red Bay during winds reported at 60 knots, leaving it trapped.
Two Red Bay Lifeboats Launch
The all-weather lifeboat, under Coxswain Paddy McLaughlin with five crew members onboard, launched immediately and made the short passage to the scene. Red Bay RNLI's inshore lifeboat was also launched to assist.
Conditions remained difficult throughout the operation, with Force 9 gusting winds, driving rain and darkness.
Once on scene, the lifeboat crew established that all six people onboard the yacht were safe, but the vessel had become entangled on the fish cages.
Crew Wait for Daylight
Given the weather and sea conditions, McLaughlin decided the safest option was for the sailors to remain aboard the yacht while the lifeboat stood by until daylight at around 7.30 am.
At 9.30 am, the RNLI crew successfully freed the yacht from the fish farm. The sailors were then brought safely to Glenarm, arriving at approximately 10am, where Larne Coastguard assisted them.
'Challenging Call-Out'
Speaking after the operation, McLaughlin said, “This was a challenging call-out in difficult weather conditions, but we were delighted to bring the sailors to safety, and we would like to wish them well.
“We would also like to commend our colleagues in the Coastguard and thank our crew who responded quickly in the middle of the night, launched our lifeboats in darkness and made their way to the scene in what were gale-force conditions, and for then spending seven hours at sea.
“This shout was a great example of the selfless and dedicated efforts of volunteers who used their skills and training to bring six people to safety in what was a challenging operation.”
