Second callout for Fethard RNLI in 24 hours to drifting boat

The alarm was raised by a member of the public at 9.24am this morning (Sunday 7 August) who saw the vessel, which appeared to have no one on board, drifting out to sea off the Fethard coast.  The lifeboat was launched and once on scene discovered that the 17-ft pleasure boat had dragged its moorings and become entangled in ropes from nearby lobster pots. 

One of the Fethard RNLI crew got out of the lifeboat and freed the vessel of the ropes that had entangled it, enabling the pleasure boat to be taken in tow by the lifeboat and brought to safety at Fethard harbour.

Conditions were good with a force 3 to 4 south-westerly breeze and visibility was clear. 

Commenting on the callout Fethard RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Hugh Burke said, ‘Our volunteer lifeboat crew have been busy this weekend with two callouts in 24 hours. While the first callout was to a vessel with three people on board getting washed dangerously close to shore this one was to a vessel with no one on board which was dragging its moorings and getting entangled in lobster pots.’ 

‘Vessels that drag or break free of their moorings can quickly become a problem as they move into busy areas or cause an obstruction to other marine traffic. We don’t know who owned the vessel in question but in bringing it in to the safety of Fethard harbour there is now no danger it will be lost or cause an accident.  The lifeboat crew also returned to the scene and retrieved the mooring, preventing it drifting further out to sea.’

The lifeboat returned home at 10.45am ready for the next callout.

Ends

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