Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat crew called out twice yesterday (17 August) to assist two solo sailors who were part of the qualifying stages for a long-distance solo race.

Each sailor was piloting their own 6m sail-only vessels and had intended to make their way back to their homeport in France. However, unexpected weather complications meant they had to alter their course and seek the safe harbour of Dunmore East.

The first alarm came in at 1.57 pm, and the RNLI crew made their way to a location west of Hook Head, approximately four nautical miles from Dunmore East. The first sailor, who hailed from France and lacked engine power, was in good spirits and welcomed the RNLI's assistance. Given the deteriorating conditions, the crew opted to tow the vessel to Dunmore East.

The six-metre solo yacht is taken under tow by Dunmore East RNLI all-weather lifeboat

Scarcely had they returned to port at 3.17 pm when the Irish Coast Guard's second alert came through. Another sailor, part of the same race, also encountered difficulties, this time in a slightly different position, one nautical mile south of Hook Head. The RNLI crew, still in the midst of prepping their all-weather lifeboat 'William and Agnes Wray' from the prior mission, mobilised immediately. To ensure the safe transit of the second vessel, an RNLI crew member boarded, guiding it and its sailor back to Dunmore East.

The second six-metre solo yacht is taken under tow 

The day's efforts saw the seamless collaboration of the volunteer crew: Trevor, David M, Fergus, Paul, Luka, and notably Susan, who marked her first mission. Operations from the shore were managed by Deputy Launch Authority, Elaine Power and Lifeboat Operations Manager, Liz Power.

Peter Grogan, the Lifeboat Press Officer, commented on the day's events, stating, 'Despite the solo sailors being very experienced and well-equipped, today's situation underscores the unpredictability of the sea. Their foresight to carry a VHF radio was crucial, allowing them to call for assistance when needed. They did the right thing by calling for help. We can't stress enough the importance for all sea users to maintain a reliable means of communication at all times.'

The volunteer lifeboat crew of Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI has been kept busy over the past week, responding to ten calls for assistance from the Dublin Bay area.

The Coast Guard sought the help of the Inshore and All Weather lifeboats for incidents ranging from stricken craft to people in distress on the water.

The crew responded to calls from both the lifeboat station and their homes and businesses, launching in less than nine minutes to attend to the emergencies. The variety of callouts included broken down boats, fuel shortages, entangled sails, stranded fishermen, and walkers cut off by the tide at Sandymount strand. The crew provided assistance to the casualties and ensured their safe return to shore.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Ed Totterdell expressed his appreciation for the dedication of the volunteer crew. "Behind every call out, no matter how minor or major, is a person in difficulty and unsure of what to do to get themselves to safety. We have a fantastic team of volunteers here who train for every type of call out and will look after people when something goes wrong on the water."

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI inshore lifeboat

As summer weather continues, Totterdell reminds water enthusiasts to prepare for emergencies with basic safety measures. He advises ensuring the seaworthiness of boats and engines, having enough fuel for the trip, wearing lifejackets or flotation devices, and informing someone on shore of their plans. He also encourages carrying a means of communication, such as a VHF radio, and knowing how to dial 999 or 112 to reach the Coast Guard.

Sligo Bay RNLI’s volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard on Sunday morning (13 August) to reports of a dog who had become stranded on a sandbank at Culleenamore near Strandhill in Ballisodare Bay.

Buddy the border collie had been out walking with his owner at the beach when he decided to go for a swim. Due to the low tide, he swam as far as the sandbank but then was unable to return to his owner on the beach.

Thankfully the owner called 112 and asked for the coastguard rather than attempting a rescue himself.

Getting the call at 11.21am, the volunteer crew aboard the inshore lifeboat Sheila and Dennis Tongue launched 10 minutes later and were on the scene just before noon.

Due to the low tide and narrowing channels, extreme caution had to be taken by the lifeboat crew to negotiate their passage to get close to the dog. The volunteer crew train with the navigation equipment onboard, and they managed to get close enough for one crew member to get onto the sandbank and try to coax the dog onto the lifeboat but to no avail as Buddy was very nervous.

After a couple of hours and with the tide beginning to rise, another solution was necessary to bring the dog to safety. Contact was made with the shore and the owner’s son borrowed a kayak and lifejacket and paddled out to the scene where he was able to coax Buddy into the lifeboat.

The lifeboat crew then returned to the station at 2.25pm with Buddy, his owner’s son and kayak all safely onboard. Buddy was meet with a big bowl of water and he was very happy to be back on dry land again.

Speaking after the rescue, one of the lifeboat crew said: “As a dog owner, my skills were tested to their limits today. Not as straightforward as we all thought it would be, but it was great to eventually reunite Buddy with his owner.”

Sligo Bay RNLI asks pet owners to remember, if your pet goes into the water, please do not enter the water after them — instead call 112 or 999 and ask for help from the coastguard.

Wexford RNLI’s inshore lifeboat had a busy Sunday afternoon (13 August) with two back-to-back rescue efforts.

Lifeboat helm Damien Foley and volunteer crew Ger Doran and Donal Troddyn were first tasked with assisting two people whose boat suffered engine failure inside Wexford harbour at 1.08pm.

The lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 1.18pm and after assessing the situation, they decided the safest option was to secure a tow to the casualty vessel and bring the people safely ashore.

At 1.53pm, just as the lifeboat was a few hundred metres from shore, the Irish Coast Guard tasked them to reports of two girls in the water off Rosslare Strand.

The lifeboat crew were able to bring the people ashore before turning around en route to Rosslare, within minutes of the tasking.

Conditions at the time were good, with a south-westerly Force 3 wind and rising tide. Rosslare Harbour RNLI were also tasked to the incident.

While their lifeboat was on the way to Rosslare Point, Wexford RNLI were informed that another paddleboard user had assisted in the rescue and the girls were safely ashore.

Rosslare Harbour’s lifeboat was asked to search and recover the lost paddleboard in case it was spotted later and reported again.

Speaking following the call-out, Wexford RNLI helm Damien Foley said: “Both incidents resulted in good outcomes. If anyone sees a person in difficulty on or near the water, please dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

Shore crew for Wexford RNLI on Sunday afternoon was Simon Gulliver and the launch authority was Dave Dempsey.

Two men and a boy were rescued by the Courtown RNLI on August 9th after their cabin cruiser experienced engine failure off the coast of Cahore.

The Arklow RNLI initially responded to the distress call and had the vessel under tow when the Courtown crew arrived on the scene. Courtown's inshore lifeboat took over the tow and safely brought the cruiser into Courtown Harbour.

The rescued individuals were all wearing lifejackets and had a means of communication to call for help. Jim Murphy, Deputy Launching Authority of Courtown RNLI, emphasised the importance of following safety recommendations and contacting the Coast Guard in an emergency.

Courtown and Arklow RNLI attend to the broken down cruiser

The successful joint operation between the two RNLI stations highlights their crucial role in ensuring the safety of those at sea.

Two men were rescued by the Red Bay RNLI after their 18ft speedboat caught fire off the coast of Antrim.

The incident occurred south of Rathlin Island, and the rescue team was quickly on the scene after being alerted by the coastguard. The two men, who were in the water, were saved by a passing yacht before being transferred to the Red Bay inshore lifeboat and brought safely back to Ballycastle.

The vessel later sank at 9.40 pm.

Speaking on the callout, Red Bay RNLI Helm Gary Fyfe praised the men for making the right decision to evacuate the vessel and reminded others always to carry a means of calling for help and to wear a lifejacket.

The incident occurred during an exercise by both the All-Weather and inshore lifeboats, demonstrating their readiness to respond to emergencies.

On Saturday afternoon, Kilmore Quay RNLI came to the rescue of three people stranded on a RIB off Ballyhealy Beach. The all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, was launched after the Irish Coast Guard received a call from a concerned member of the public. The RIB was anchored approximately 100 meters off the beach, and the weather was sunny but with a strong southwesterly breeze blowing at Force 6 to 7, causing large waves to form close to the shore.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene at 3:30 pm and quickly established that the three people on board were safe and well. They were transferred to the lifeboat for passage back to Kilmore Quay, and a towline was established to the RIB. The lifeboat set off for Kilmore Quay and arrived back in the harbour at 4:50 pm. The casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina by the Kilmore Quay unit of the Irish Coast Guard, who also took care of the three casualties when they disembarked from the lifeboat. The lifeboat was made ready for service again by the crew.

Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace expressed gratitude that the outcome was good and urged anyone heading out to sea to tell someone where they are going and when they will be back. He also emphasised the importance of carrying a reliable means of communication, such as a VHF or a mobile phone in a waterproof case, in case of an emergency. Grace thanked the Kilmore Quay Coast Guard unit for their assistance during the rescue operation.

Achill Island RNLI came to the aid of an unmanned fishing trawler in severe weather conditions on Friday, August 11th, following a call from the Irish Coast Guard. The 36ft trawler was moored between Purteen Harbour and Inishgalloon at Achill Island and was in danger of drifting dangerously close to the rocky shore in stormy conditions, pulling its anchor in the process.

The volunteer crew of the all-weather lifeboat ‘Sam and Ada Moody’, led by Coxswain Dave Curtis and consisting of Michael Cattigan, Mechanic, Thomas Ruddy, Stephen McGreal, Ivan Swarbrigg, and Terry Hogarth, launched shortly before 1.30 pm. Despite storm force winds and 3-metre swells, the crew assessed the situation and decided to put two crew members on board the drifting trawler.

The trawler was then taken on tow and brought to another mooring nearby, where it was safely secured. The two crew members returned to the lifeboat, and the team made its way back to the station, arriving shortly before 4pm.

Achill Island RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Ciaran Needham, praised the crew's bravery in challenging conditions, saying, "Our crew train for all eventualities and they were delighted to be able to come to the rescue of this vessel this afternoon. If you see someone, or some vessel in need of help, don’t ever hesitate to call the Coast Guard and ask for help. Our crew are always happy to respond when needed."

Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of the Achill Island RNLI crew, the unmanned trawler was saved from certain disaster. The RNLI remains committed to providing a vital, life-saving service to all those in need, no matter the weather conditions.

Three people were rescued by the Bangor RNLI lifeboat after their 28ft yacht ran aground on Cockle Island, Groomsport. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, August 10th. The RNLI received a request from Belfast Coastguard to assist with the recovery of the yacht, which had drifted and run aground due to a mechanical failure.

The volunteer crew launched their inshore lifeboat and made their way to the scene. Upon arriving, the crew found all three people on board the yacht had lifejackets on. After assessing the situation, the crew decided towing the yacht off the rocks was the safest option. The yacht was then towed to the closest port and its mooring in Groomsport Harbour.

The lifeboat returned to Bangor lifeboat station and was made ready for service.

Bangor RNLI Helm Gareth Whan reminded all seafarers to ensure their engines are well maintained and carry adequate tools to fix any problems they may encounter.

He also advised to always take a means of calling for help and to dial 999 or 112 in case of an emergency.

Lough Derg RNLI were requested to launch at noon on Thursday 10 August) to assist two people on a 40ft cruiser with engine failure and at anchor by navigation buoy H, close to Terryglass Bay.

The inshore lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Steve Smyth and crew and Eleanor Hooker, Chris Parker and Joe O’Donoghue on board. The wind was south-easterly Force 4-5 and visibility was good.

At 12.35pm the lifeboat located the casualty vessel and came alongside to transfer an RNLI volunteer across to assess the situation. Both people on board were safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.

The RNLI crew reported back to the lifeboat that the vessel was dragging its anchor slightly and at risk of being dragged into rocky and shallow water.

It was then decided to take the vessel with its passengers, and with the RNLI crew member remaining on board, to the closest safe harbour.

Within minutes, the lifeboat had the casualty vessel under an astern tow to Terryglass Harbour. On constant lookout, the lifeboat crew kept the helm appraised of the dense traffic on the lake also making way for Terryglass.

In order to navigate the narrow channel into the harbour, the lifeboat helm advised he was going to take the tow head to weather and to prepare for an alongside tow.

As the harbour was full, at 1.16pm the lifeboat safely moored the casualty vessel on the outer wall of the harbour.

Speaking after the call-out, Aoife Kennedy, deputy launching authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users: “If you find yourself in difficulty, dial 112 or 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

This was the second call of the week for Lough Derg RNLI. On Sunday afternoon (6 August) pagers sounded for a request to assist three people on a vessel taking on water and in danger of sinking outside Garrykennedy Harbour. But shortly after launch the lifeboat was stood down as it emerged that another vessel had taken the casualty boat by tow to a safe mooring in the harbour.