#RNLI - Kilrush RNLI lifeboat station was put on standby on Monday 29 April for an aircraft with engine trouble, and later called to a person who drove into the water.

At 2pm on Monday the Irish Coast Guard at Shannon alerted the station authorities that there was a private aircraft descending in the region of the River Shannon with engine problems. It was reported that there were four people on board.

After a half an hour the lifeboat crew were informed the plane made a safe landing at Shannon Airport and the station was stood down.



Later that day at 8.47pm pagers were activated by the coastguard in Shannon to alert the crew that a person was reported to have driven off the road into the water in the area of Labasheeda, about nine nautical miles from Kilrush. 

The lifeboat crew assembled and within eight minutes were launched and on their way to this area. Conditions on this evening were most favourable.

After five minutes they were stood down as members of the local Gardai had managed to rescue the driver and bring him ashore. An ambulance was standing by at this area to assist the casualty and team of helpers.



Kilrush lifeboat operations manager John Lamb praised the speed of the crew and the efficiency on which the launch took place.

“At times like these it’s always good to know that our team are trained to the highest standards to deal with callouts such as this evening,” he said.

In other news, President Michael D Higgins will pay a special call to Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat station this weekend during an official visit to the Cork village.

While there he will view an impressive historical exhibition which is running all through the May bank holiday weekend.

The exhibition, which has been planned for months, will have a strong emphasis on the lifeboat and its crew with most families in the village having had loved ones serving as volunteer lifeboat crew since 1825.

To mark this fact, local families have displayed the name of that lifeboat crew member outside their home and placed a pair of wellington boots on their doorstep. The yellow lifeboat boot is an iconic piece of the RNLI crew members' kit.

President Higgins is expected to arrive in Courtmacsherry at 4pm on Sunday 5 May and will first visit the lifeboat station where he will be met by volunteer lifeboat crew past and present and members of the station management and fundraisers.

The station has a proud history of lifesaving with 14 awards for gallantry.

Courtmacsherry RNLI launched after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 when the lifeboat crew rowed for over three hours in a desperate bid to reach survivors from the torpedoed vessel off the Old Head of Kinsale.

And during the Fastnet Race tragedy of 1979, in which 15 sailors lost their lives, the Courtmacsherry lifeboat was among of group of RNLI boats that spent 75 hours at sea in 60-knot winds.

At Courtmacsherry Harbour there is a pontoon at which overnight berthing is available for visiting vessels (a fee applies and payment can be made locally at the Pier House Bar). Facilities for boats at the pontoon include, electricity, water, fuel and domestic refuse facility.

#Coastguard - The Irish Times reports that a fisherman has died after sustaining head injuries in an incident off the Old Head of Kinsale last night.

The man, one of three crew on the West Cork-based fishing trawler Liberty, is believed to have died from his injuries on board the vessel.

According to TheJournal.ie, the Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat and Irish Coast Guard helicopters from Shannon (Rescue 115) and Waterford (Rescue 117) were all scrambled to the scene.

The deceased was airlifted by Rescue 117 to Cork for transfer to hospital, while the remaining crew returned to Kinsale this morning with the lifeboat crew.

It is thought that the accident involved trawling wires on board the fishing boat.

The Irish Times reports that the Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat went to the aid of divers at the wreck of the Lusitania yesterday.

The divers had been operating at the wreck site when their boat developed mechanical issues.

The lifeboat responded immediately in windy conditions and removed the crew to safety, towing the boat to Courtmacsherry.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, divers led by the wreck's American owner hope to uncover the last big secrets of the stricken cruise liner, which was torpedoed by a German U-boat during the First World War.