Castletownbere RNLI in conjunction with the Irish Coast Guard Rescue 115 helicopter crew from Shannon have rescued 13 people this evening after their 33m fishing trawler ran aground onto rocks off Dursey Island and started to list and roll.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 2.30 pm this afternoon (Friday 2 June) following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that a vessel was in difficulty on the southwest corner of Dursey Island.

The lifeboat launched immediately under Coxswain Dean Hegarty and with crew members Marney O’Donoghue, Dave Fenton, Sean Bawn O’Sullivan, Carl Cronin and David O’Donovan onboard.

Weather conditions at time were good with a Force 3-4 south easterly wind and a 1-1.5m swell.

Once on scene and arriving at the same time as Rescue 115, the lifeboat crew observed that the vessel was hard aground, listing and rocking back and forth. The vessel’s crew who were on the deck and all wearing lifejackets were safe and well. However, with the trawler rolling 20-30 degrees to the right towards rocks, there were concerns that the boat may not hold. A decision was made not to attempt to pull the vessel off the rocks at that point but instead to airlift nine of the vessel’s crew off to safety.

Following a successful winching operation, the trawler eventually came off the rocks but lost steering 100m from the shore. The lifeboat crew worked with the four remaining crew to establish a tow line. Due to the near proximity to the shore, the lifeboat crew were assisted by the crew of a local fishing boat that was in the area at the time who helped to push the casualty vessel away from the shore.

The tow was successfully set up 15-20m from the shore and the trawler was then towed out to sea by the lifeboat. The crew of Castletownbere RNLI subsequently passed the tow over to a tug on arrival.

The crew arrived safely back to the lifeboat station at approximately 6.20pm.

Speaking following the call out, Castletownbere RNLI Coxswain Dean Hegarty said: ‘This was a challenging call out given that the boat was listing and there were concerns that it might roll further. We want to thank and commend our colleagues in Rescue 115, this was a great example of joint work and co-operation. We also want to thank the vessels in the area at the time who either stood by or assisted along with the two tugs that came from Atlantic Towage and Marine. We wish the trawler’s crew well following their ordeal today.

Taking time out from his visit to Castletownbere and Union Hall, as part of a nationwide tour of fishery harbours, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Minister Charlie McConalogue TD, presided at the signing by his Department of a €13m contract in Castletownbere for the final phase of an overall €33m, 216m long quay development project and associated works on Dinish Island, Castletownbere, as part of his Department’s Action Plan 2021.

Welcoming the signing of the completion works contract with contractor Sorensen Civil Engineering Ltd, the Minister said “I am delighted to have been able to fund the final phase of this project. It will double workable quay space on Dinish Island and facilitate increased fish landings and associated onshore processing, in addition to increased commercial cargo and general marine activity at this major port.”

While doubling the workable quay space on Dinish Island is a critical aspect of the project, this final phase will also deliver approximately 2.2 acres of highly usable reclaimed quay storage area, two new major breakwaters at the entrance to the harbour, the dredging of the navigation channel and the area in front of the syncrolift making the boatyard more accessible for larger vessels. An inner basin is also being created which will provide an ideal future development area for a small craft harbour to the benefit of small fishing vessels and leisure craft.

(Above and below) Dinish Completion Works Phase 1 - 16th July 2021

The Minister went onto say that “This a very significant investment by my Department in current and future generations in the South West and will be a big boost to the Beara Peninsula and West Cork in general. In approving finalisation of this development, I have taken account of the unprecedented success of the previous development in increasing fish landings to Castletownbere. That success has resulted in the need for a further major expansion to future proof the harbour and provide a platform for the future success of Castletownbere.”

The final phase of the development will enable Castletownbere to continue and develop its role as the premier whitefish port in the country as well as facilitating scope for possible future expansions into other commercial activities compatible with the marine sector. Most importantly, the pier extension will allow faster turn-around times for fishing vessels alleviating existing vessel and traffic congestion.

Minister McConalogue explained that “The Brexit trade and co-operation agreement resulted in some loss of Ireland’s share of quotas to the UK. I am working on a number of fronts to meet the challenges this has brought to communities such as Castletownbere. An essential action is investing in our harbour facilities to support jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependant on fishing. This expansion of the harbour facilities in Castletownbere will help to underpin the local economy and will ensure that state of the art facilities are available for our own fishing fleet and other fleets that bring business into the harbour. It also offers opportunities for other marine activities in the area supporting the development of integrated marine services.”

In summing up, the Minister said “This project is a demonstration, not only of this Government’s support for the Castletownbere fishing and seafood industries, but also of our commitment to the social and economic development of rural coastal communities such as those on the Beara Peninsula. I expect the project to be completed in the Spring of 2022 and that on completion Castletownbere will have facilities to compete with the best in Europe.”

The project has been proposed for part-funding under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme, and co-funded the Government of Ireland and the European Union.

The Minister concluded “I am pleased to have been able to see for myself the difference that appropriately targeted investment support can make in a town like Castletownbere. My visit to West cork also provided an opportunity to meet with fishers and the Fisheries Local Action Group in Union Hall, and with the Castletownbere Fishermen’s Co-op , Irish South & West Fishermen’s Producer Organisation and with various Inshore Fisher’s representatives in Castletownbere. I heard directly from them the challenges that they are currently facing post Brexit. I also heard the commitment and ambition within the sector to build on the hard work and energy of fishers in their community so that fishing and related activities continue to be the backbone of economic activity in the region. I am committed to working closely with them on all fronts to deliver on this ambition.”

#FISHERY DETENTION – A French registered fishing vessel, was detained by the Naval Service OPV L.É. Roisin (P51) approximately 170 nautical miles West of Castletownbere, Co. Cork last night.

The detention was in relation to alleged breaches of technical fishing regulations. The detained vessel was to be escorted by the offshore patrol vessel to Cork, and then transferred to the Gardaí.

Last week the navy detained an Irish registered vessel on the same grounds and also for alleged under-recording of catch, in waters 60 miles off Roches Point, as previously reported on Afloat.ie

This latest detention by the Naval Service raises the number to 16 vessels so far in 2012.