Carrybridge RNLI volunteers assisted three people in two separate incidents within 90 minutes on Saturday, 3rd of October, including a grounding near Naan Island and a person who fell into the water close to the lifeboat station.
The first call came at 12.26 pm when Belfast Coastguard requested the launch of Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat, Douglas Euan & Kay Richards, to assess a 10-metre vessel with two people on board which had run aground around one mile south-east of Naan Island.
Conditions on Lough Erne were calm, with south-westerly Force 1 winds, good visibility and clear skies.
Cruiser Grounds Near Naan Island
The volunteer crew located the vessel aground just outside the main navigation channel. Both people on board were found safe and well and wearing lifejackets. Checks of the vessel found no water ingress or other immediate safety concerns, but it was grounded in shallow water.
Given its position, the lifeboat crew decided the safest course was for the owner to arrange assistance from an independent recovery company rather than attempt to refloat the vessel themselves.
The RNLI volunteers remained on scene until the recovery company arrived and successfully refloated the cruiser. After further checks confirmed that the vessel and its occupants were safe, it continued its journey under its own power.
The incident follows several grounding call-outs for Carrybridge RNLI this season. As Afloat reported in July, the crew responded to a sailing yacht which had grounded on Lough Erne, while Carrybridge also assisted Enniskillen RNLI following another grounding on Lower Lough Erne in September.
Second Incident at Lifeboat Station
While the lifeboat was dealing with the Naan Island incident, station volunteers preparing to assist with its launch and recovery witnessed a person fall into the water from a vessel near the Carrybridge station slipway at around 2 pm.
The vessel had drifted away, and the person fell between it and the jetty. Three station volunteers immediately went to the jetty, where they found the person in the water but able to stand on the bottom.
The casualty was found to be uninjured but shaken by the incident. Volunteers lifted them back onto the jetty, assessed them and provided towels so they could dry off. The vessel was secured, and its owner was subsequently able to make their own way home by road.
RNLI Issues Boating Safety Reminder
Carrybridge RNLI volunteer lifeboat operations manager Stephen Scott urged boat users to plan their routes and check navigational marks against the relevant charts. “It’s great to see people enjoying the end of the summer boating season on our wonderful waterways,” he said.
“We would advise all boat users before setting out on your journey to please plan your route ahead using the relevant charts for the area, making sure to check the navigational marks on the water against those shown on your chart."
“Have a means of calling for assistance if you find yourself in trouble and have lifejackets for all on board.”
Scott added that anyone who sees someone in difficulty on the water, or gets into difficulty themselves, should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
