Donaghadee RNLI launched late on Wednesday night (30 September) after a fishing boat was reported to have collided with a cargo vessel east of the Copeland Islands. HM Coastguard paged the volunteer crew at 11.20 pm after a report that a 24-metre fishing vessel had collided with an 88-metre cargo ship.
Donaghadee RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Macquarie, under Coxswain Stephen McComiskey, launched into a south-westerly wind with good visibility and a slight to moderate sea. The lifeboat reached the fishing vessel before midnight.
After coming alongside, the crew established that the fishing boat’s skipper was uninjured and that there was no reported pollution.
The skipper said he did not require assistance but asked the lifeboat crew to inspect the exterior of his vessel, particularly the starboard side.
The RNLI crew observed damage to the vessel’s stem which appeared to be above the waterline, together with scuff marks, and reported their observations to HM Coastguard. The fishing vessel’s skipper subsequently requested to continue on his course, while the cargo vessel also continued its passage.
The incident was Donaghadee RNLI’s 17th call-out of 2026.
“We were alerted promptly to the situation, and the swift turnout of our volunteer crew proved beneficial, allowing us to provide early assistance to the fishing vessel,” McComiskey said.
“Had the circumstances changed or further assistance been required, we were on hand and ready to respond.”
He thanked the volunteer crew for their prompt response and professionalism.
