At 3.30pm yesterday, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, following a report from people on shore at Mountshannon, that people were seen waving a distress signal on a cruiser outside the bay. The lifeboat launched at 3.45pm with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Owen Cavanagh on board. Winds was westerly, Force 5/6 gusting 7. Visibility was good.

Nine people were on board, three adults and six children.

The lifeboat located the vessel in Mountshannon Bay at 4pm. All nine people on board were safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets. They had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed onto nearby rocks. An RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew was transferred to the casualty vessel where he reassured everyone, and then set up a bridle and tow. The lifeboat took the tow and went ahead of the cruiser to assist the RNLI volunteer weigh anchor, which had dug in and was holding fast.

The lifeboat towed the cruiser to Mountshannon Harbour where she was tied safely alongside at 4.30pm. The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 5pm.

Pat Lynch, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat advises boat users to ‘to check weather forecast before going afloat, make sure your boat is serviced and to carry a means of communication’.

Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat crew responded to a request from Valentia Coast Guard this evening to a person seen being held onto the side of a moored boat in the Channel at East Ferry.

The Crosshaven volunteer crew happened to be near Roches Point on exercise when the emergency call came through and immediately made best speed to the area arriving some 15 minutes later at 20.45. The crew located the casualty and recovered him to the lifeboat.

It appears the sailor had the mishap while transferring to a punt. The other person required no assistance.

With obvious signs of hypothermia and limb injuries after spending 20/25 minutes in the water, the lifeboat crew administered First Aid and headed for Cobh and a rendevous with the Emergency Ambulance. The casualty was handed into the care of the paramedics before returning to station at 21.50. 

#RNLI - An unusual training exercise took place on Sunday (14 August) off the Connemara coastline involving the Naval Service vessel LÉ Orla and the volunteer crews of the Clifden RNLI lifeboats.

In calm conditions, RNLI volunteers and naval crew co-operated on a number of training exercises, beginning with a 'man overboard' scenario, in which the casualty was transferred by hoist from the LÉ Orla to the Mersey class all weather-lifeboat Fishermans Friend.

A RIB from the naval vessel was then recovered in the water and towed by the Atlantic 85 lifeboat helmed by Daniel Whelan with crew John Mullen, Gerry Claffey and Michael Carey.

Next up was a salvage operation exercise, where the lifeboat crew used their salvage pump onboard the Naval vessel which was supposedly adrift at the time.

"It was at this point it occurred to me that as part of a salvage operation we would normally tow the vessel in question," said Clifton RNLI coxswain David Barry, who requested and was granted permission to tow the 750-tonne OPV at 1,500 revs and 3.2 knots.

"Admittedly, conditions were very calm at the time, but we were all really delighted to have been able to successfully carry out a brief tow," he added. "In poorer conditions, we might have been able to at least keep the ship nose to sea.

"Overall, the day's exercises were a huge success for the whole crew and we are really grateful to the Irish Naval Service for facilitating these invaluable exercises."

To round off the exercise session, three Naval Service divers were recovered from the water by both lifeboats.

Since the introduction of the all-weather lifeboat to Clifden, the volunteer crew have undertaken many hours of advanced and innovative exercise scenarios intended to give the crew experience and competence.

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI have received a major boost for their inshore lifeboat appeal after receiving a €12,000 donation from local business Loftus Hall.

Ahead of the RNLI Waves Festival at the end of the month, Aidan and Shane Quigley from Loftus Hall presented Fethard RNLI with the significant contribution towards their special appeal, which was launched earlier this year to raise €65,000 for a new D class inshore lifeboat for the station.

The current lifeboat, Trade Winds, has been operational for almost 10 years, launching 119 times to rescue 85 people in that time, and is due for retirement in 2017.

Aidan Quigley, proprietor of Loftus Hall, said: ‘We are delighted to support such a worthy cause. The RNLI plays such a vital role in the lives of those who live by, work on and visit our coasts. The lifeboat service is kept going by the generosity, dedication and commitment of volunteers, who give selflessly of their time and skills.

"This donation will hopefully ensure the provision of a new D class lifeboat in Fethard to operate in the area over the coming years. Not only is it reassuring to know that many more lives will be saved, but also that the volunteer crew who work tirelessly in saving those lives will be kept safe on their way to a rescue."

Rebecca Doyle, Fethard RNLI lifeboat press officer, added that she and her fellow lifeboat volunteers are "overwhelmed by the support from Loftus Hall with their donation of €12,000 towards our appeal and also by providing us with the astounding and historic location for one of our main fundraising events to be held at the end of the month."

Tickets for the RNLI Waves Festival on Sunday 28 August are available from www.wavesfestival.ie.

#RNLI - Three kayakers who got into difficulty in Dungarvan Bay on Sunday evening (7 August) were assisted by the volunteer crew of Helvick Head RNLI.

The inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong launched just after 6.30pm following a report that three people in kayaks were struggling in strong winds and currents in the Ballyvoile area of Dungarvan Bay.

One kayaker had made his way ashore but was stuck on rocks and was in need of medical assistance. He was airlifted by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter to Waterford Regional Hospital.

A second woman was helped from her kayak by the lifeboat crew and brought ashore at Clonea Beach close by. The third person was successful in reaching the shore.

The lifeboat, helmed by John Condon and with crew members Shane Walsh and Joe Foley onboard, later returned to the scene to recover a kayak from the rocks.

"Strong winds and the tide made it difficult for the casualties to get ashore and they were struggling," said Condon after the callout, "so the lifeboat was essential in ensuring the safe recovery of the second kayaker as well as in assisting the helicopter. We would like to wish all three kayakers well after their ordeal."

The incident came on the same day that a group of 12 kayakers was rescued in Dublin Bay after failing to heed the small craft warning in place due to forecast high winds, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Kinsale RNLI launched twice overnight on Saturday (6 August) and into the early hours of Sunday (7 August) this past weekend.

The lifeboat first launched at 9.40pm to Saturday to aid a 26ft yacht that had become propped. Visibility was poor and weather conditions were deteriorating as the vessel was located south of the Sovereign Islands.

Lifeboat crew member Aidan Henry boarded the vessel to set up a stern tow until the lifeboat reached the Charles Fort area, when the yacht was taken alongside and returned safely to the Kinsale Yacht Club marina.

Just hours later at 3.23am on Sunday morning, the emergency pagers went off for a second time in response to reports of distress flares in the Summercove area.

Nick Searls and Jonathan Connor, who attended the earlier incident, were joined by Mark Lewis as the lifeboat searched Kinsale’s inner and outer harbours in poor visibility.

Waterford's Rescue 117 helicopter and Irish Coast Guard units from Kinsale and the Old Head of Kinsale also conducted an extensive search of the area but no vessels or persons in distress were located. The operation was called off by the coastguard at 5.15am.

"Flares are there to save lives at sea and are a vital piece of equipment for any vessel," said Kinsale RNLI lifeboat operations manager John O’Gorman. "When the RNLI receives a report of a flare being released, we respond immediately.

"We would ask every member of the public to be aware that flares should only be used in a genuine emergency as it sets in train an operation involving a large number of RNLI volunteers and resources and members of other rescue services."

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI had a busy weekend, with their second callout in 24 hours seeing launch to reports of an unmanned vessel drifting a half mile off Fethard in Co Wexford.

The alarm was raised before 9.30am yesterday morning (Sunday 7 August) by a member of the public who saw the vessel drifting out to sea.

The lifeboat was launched and, once on scene, discovered that the 17ft pleasure boat had dragged its moorings and become entangled in ropes from nearby lobster pots.

One of the RNLI crew got out of the lifeboat and freed the vessel from the ropes, enabling it to be taken in tow to Fethard Harbour.

Weather conditions were good with a Force 3 to 4 south-westerly breeze, and visibility was clear.

"Vessels that drag or break free of their moorings can quickly become a problem as they move into busy areas or cause an obstruction to other marine traffic," said Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Hugh Burke.

"We don’t know who owned the vessel in question but in bringing it in to the safety of Fethard Harbour there is now no danger it will be lost or cause an accident."

The callout came a day after the lifeboat crew rescued three from a 17ft punt drifting dangerously close to the shore at Ballyteigue beach, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 5.15 pm yesterday afternoon to go to the aid of three men who got into difficulty in a Jet–ski and small pleasure boat just off the Seven Heads coastline in West Cork.

The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat under Coxswain Sean O'Farrell and a crew of six launched immediately and reached the area at 5.25pm as the three men had overturned in their crafts and were in the water.

The casualties were blown on to dangerous rocks at Seven Heads and the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat succeeded in taking all three men from the rocks and onboard the Lifeboat.

The Coastguard unit from Seven Heads, the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter and The Kinsale RNLI Lifeboat all participated in today's rescue

Crosshaven lifeboat was launched this afternoon after a member of the public alerted the Coast Guard to an inflatable Dinghy with thre persons on board being blown out to sea.

The lifeboat launched at 14.52 and made their way to Ringabella Bay arriving on scene at 3.10pm. No sighting of the dinghy initially was made, but the crew noticed a Supermarket type inflatable dinghy on the shore at Ringabella beach. A crew member swam ashore and talked to the owners who confirmed they were the 3 people that had left Fountainstown. As they were now ashore and safe all units were stood down.

The occupants were wearing swim gear apart from one who had a wetsuit and a bouyancy aid. The wind offshore was blowing force 5 to 6 although calmer within the bay. Crosshaven Coast Guard imparted safety information to the people involved.

Commenting on the service call, Patsy Fegan, Lifeboat Operations manager said "The use of inflatables and lilo's should only be used in the confines of a swimming pool. Luckily these people came to no harm, but with a force 5 wind they could have drifted well offshore”

As well as Crosshaven Lifeboat, other agencies involved were Rescue 117 helicopter from Waterford, The Naval vessel, LE Niamh which acted as a Radio Relay to the Coast Guard and the Crosshaven Coast Guard boat.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Fethard RNLI were launched yesterday morning (Saturday 6 August 2016) just before 9am to reports of an anchorless 17ft punt with three people onboard in difficulty off Keeragh Island, Co Wexford.

Requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard to the initial location, reported as a half mile north-east of Keeragh Island, once on scene the lifeboat was not able to locate the vessel, whose VHF aerial was broken on top of suffering engine failure.

A short time later the lifeboat crew spotted the vessel getting washed ashore in the surf on Ballyteigue beach. Two of its crew had left the punt and were trying to prevent it getting completely beached.

As the Fethard lifeboat approached the shore, one of the lifeboat crew got into the surf and turned the punt around to establish a tow. Once the rope was secured, the lifeboat towed the vessel with its three crew onboard to the Coalyard at Cullenstown.

"The changing nature of this callout meant that the lifeboat crew and to react quickly to ensure a successful outcome, at one stage towing the punt through a very narrow channel between sandbars," said Fethard RNLI deputy launching authority Hugh Burke.

"I would urge all boat operators to ensure that they have a properly working anchor on their vessel and a means of calling for help. The most benign situations can turn in the blink of an eye and in these cases every second counts.

"Thankfully the weather was good and the lifeboat crew were able to assist and bring both the crew and the boat safely home."