Wicklow RNLI Brings Sailor to Safety After Late-Night Callout

21st September 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Safe Harbour: Wicklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat RNLB Bridie O’Shea brings the 40ft sailing vessel safely into Wicklow Harbour following a late-night callout in Force 6-7 winds Credit: RNLI

Wicklow RNLI volunteers brought one person to safety after a 40ft sailing vessel lost manoeuvrability 11 miles north-east of Wicklow Harbour late on Friday night (September 18th).

The all-weather lifeboat RNLB Bridie O’Shea launched at 11.10 pm, ten minutes after the volunteer crew's pagers sounded following a request for assistance from the Irish Coast Guard.

Yacht Drifting Near Shipping Lanes

The sailing vessel had lost all manoeuvrability and was reported to be drifting close to shipping lanes.

Under the command of Coxswain Nicky Keogh, the lifeboat located the vessel around 40 minutes after launching.

Conditions at the scene included south-westerly Force 6-7 winds, moderate seas and good visibility.

With the yacht's skipper unable to make way and the vessel close to shipping lanes, Keogh assessed that the safest course of action was to establish a tow and return the yacht to Wicklow Harbour.

The sailing vessel was secured alongside the harbour's east pier at 2.50 am.

‘Difficult Conditions’

Speaking after the callout, Keogh said: “This was a late-night callout in difficult conditions. The skipper of the casualty vessel did the correct thing in requesting assistance early.

“I’d like to remind anyone going on the water in this good weather to have a suitable means of calling for assistance. If you see anyone in trouble on the water, please call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

Which is Ireland's busiest lifeboat station?

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Do the RNLI get paid?

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

How many RNLI Lifeboat stations in Ireland?

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

How many lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions?

How many people are rescued by the RNLI?

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

What type of boats does the RNLI have?

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

How are lifeboats called out?

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

What is the relationship between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI in Ireland?

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

What is a coxswain?

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

What training do RNLI lifeboat crews get?

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset