Clogherhead RNLI volunteers responded to an early call yesterday morning, Friday 13 October, to assist a leisure craft which was adrift with a crew of two on board.
At 06.30 following a request by the Irish Coast Guard to go to the scene of a drifting leisure craft, 19 nautical miles east of Clogherhead, the Clogherhead RNLI crew launched their all-weather Shannon class lifeboat under Coxswain Declan Clinton with four crew members onboard.
When the lifeboat reached the scene of the drifting boat they found the two crew members were both unharmed and wearing life jackets. The vessel had developed fuel problems resulting in engine failure.
Having assessed the situation, a decision was made to establish a towline which was done successfully.
The vessel was then towed back to the nearest safe port at Port Oriel, Clogherhead, arriving there at 10.15 and saw the crew safely ashore.
Following the call out, the Coxswain of Clogherhead RNLI, Declan Clinton, said: “The crew on board this drifting vessel did the right thing in contacting the Coast Guard on their VHF radio when their vessel began to drift.
“Most importantly they were both wearing life jackets. We were able to assess the situation in a short space of time and thankfully, on this occasion, there was no risk to human life.”
Should you get into difficulty at sea call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.
