Dunmore East RNLI’s volunteer crew responded to four call-outs over the past week, including three launches within a 24-hour period.
The first call came on Tuesday evening (22 September) following a report from a member of the public of a swimmer off Lawlor’s Strand who appeared to be making little progress and was potentially in difficulty.
The Dunmore East crew launched their Shannon class all-weather lifeboat, William and Agnes Wray, and made way to the reported location. The crew checked on the swimmer, who confirmed they were comfortable and able to continue without assistance.
The incident was treated as a false alarm with good intent. The RNLI encourages anyone who believes they can see somebody in difficulty on or near the water to call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
The second call-out came on Saturday (26 September) shortly after 5pm, when a 180-tonne commercial guard vessel lost mechanical control while manoeuvring within Dunmore East Harbour and made contact with a number of small fishing boats.
Dunmore East RNLI was tasked to assist and the William and Agnes Wray manoeuvred alongside the vessel, establishing an alongside tow. The lifeboat crew then brought the vessel under control and safely returned it to the harbour wall where it was secured.
The volunteer crew were called out again on Sunday (27 September) at 9am during an Orange weather warning, following reports that a sailing vessel had broken free from its mooring and had beached on Lawlor’s Strand.
Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat William and Agnes Wray leaving harbour in stormy conditions on Sunday morning 27 September | Credit: RNLI/Peter Grogan
Tasked by the Irish Coast Guard, the lifeboat launched in challenging conditions, with winds gusting to near gale force for a short period. The crew assessed the situation and checked whether anyone had been involved in the incident. The vessel was confirmed to be ashore on the beach and no further immediate assistance was required.
Shortly after 5pm that evening, the pagers sounded for the fourth call-out of the week and the third within a 24-hour period.
The lifeboat was requested to stand by while Dunmore East Sailing Club recovered the yacht from Lawlor’s Strand as the tide rose. The vessel was successfully refloated without incident and was able to return to Dunmore East Harbour under its own power. The lifeboat was then stood down.
Speaking following the busy week, Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat operations manager Liz Power said: “These four call-outs really demonstrate the wide range of situations our volunteer crew can be asked to respond to, from a report of a person potentially in difficulty in the water, to assisting a large commercial vessel and launching in challenging weather conditions.
“I want to commend our volunteer crew for their professionalism, commitment and readiness to respond whenever the pagers sound. Three call-outs within 24 hours is a significant ask, and I’m very proud of the way everyone responded.
“We would also remind people never to hesitate to raise the alarm if they believe someone may be in difficulty. We would always rather respond to a false alarm with good intent than have someone wait too long to call for help.”
The RNLI is reminding people to take extra care around the coast, particularly during periods of strong winds and rough seas. Check weather and tide conditions before going afloat, ensure boats and moorings are properly secured ahead of severe weather and always carry a reliable means of calling for help.
