Wicklow RNLI bring one person to safety after late night callout.

The volunteer pagers sounded at 11.00pm with the all-weather lifeboat RNLB Bridie O’Shea slipping her mooring at 11.10pm under the command of Coxswain Nicky Keogh. It followed a request from the Irish Coast Guard following a report that the casualty boat had lost all manoeuvrability and was drifting close to shipping lanes.

The volunteer lifeboat crew located the casualty vessel 40 minutes after launching. Conditions on scene were wind from a south westerly direction, force 6-7, with moderate seas and good visibility.

With the skipper of the casualty vessel unable to make any way, and being in close proximity to shipping lanes, Coxswain Keogh assessed that the safest course of action was to take the vessel under tow to the nearest port at Wicklow Harbour where the boat was secured alongside the east pier at 02.50am.

Speaking after the call out Coxswain Nicky Keogh, said: ‘This was a late-night callout in difficult conditions. The skipper of the casualty vessel did the correct thing in requesting assistance early. I’d like to remind anyone going on the water in this good weather to have a suitable means of calling for assistance. If you see anyone in trouble on the water, please call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Connie OGara, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Wicklow RNLI, [email protected]

Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Ireland, 087 648 3547, [email protected]

Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Ireland, 087 125 4124, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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