Dun Laoghaire RNLI launch to capsized boat with two onboard in Scotman’s Bay

A member of the public saw the small boat capsize and a passing boat rescued the two men from the water as the lifeboat made its way to the scene. 

When the alarm was raised by a quick thinking member of the public, the Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was on scene in minutes. The two men had been in the water for about ten minutes before a passing boat had reached them and pulled them to safety. When the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat arrived on scene the two men were transferred onboard the lifeboat and brought back to the lifeboat station. They were extremely cold and shaken by their ordeal but had not sustained any injury. They were made comfortable in the lifeboat station where they recovered from their experience.

It transpired that the end of the boom had gotten caught on the tiller causing the small boat to capsize and the two crew to end up in the water. Luckily they were wearing lifejackets and were close to shore where a member of the public saw them.

Commenting on the callout Dun Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Stephen Wynne said, ‘The skipper of the capsized vessel knew exactly what had gone wrong and made every effort to right the boat but it was too much for a two person crew and they quickly found themselves in the freezing water needing urgent assistance.’ 

‘Our volunteer crew returned to the scene immediately after dropping the two men back to the station and were able to tow the boat back to Coal harbour where it could be recovered later by its owner.’

Ends

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The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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