Courtmacsherry RNLI rescue 10 people on 40ft yacht in trouble off Galley Head

The casualty with 10 people on board was participating in the Fastnet race and was disabled with a broken mast which put it in danger. The Courtmacsherry lifeboat under Coxswain Sean O Farrell with a crew of seven volunteers launched immediately and in the pitch of darkness located the stricken yacht at 4.45am.

Once on the scene, the lifeboat assessed the difficulties with the casualty vessel and the immediate task was to secure a towline to the towering yacht in order to stabilise the boat. It has now proceeded to tow it back at a slow speed to the safe haven of the Courtmacsherry inner harbour.

All 10 crew of the Racing Yacht are reported to be good condition after their early morning trauma and both the Lifeboat and Yacht are expected to arrive back to Courtmacsherry Harbour Pontoon at approx 8.30am.

Conditions at sea early this morning had North West Winds in the area blowing force 3/4. The Racing Yacht was participating in the famous Fastnet Race and was one of a whole fleet of yachts that approached the turn at the Fastnet Rock during the night.

The Crew on board this mornings callout are Coxswain Sean O Farrell, Mechanic Chris Guy and crew Ken Cashman, Ciaran Hurley, Dara Gannon, Denis Murphy, Kieran Boyle and Evin O Sullivan.

Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Station Voluntary Operations Manager Brian O Dwyer paid tribute to the 16 Crew and Officers of the Station that left their beds in middle of the night to organise and participate in this Callout to a participant in one of the worlds most famous races which goes from Cowes in the Isle of White, turning at the Fastnet Rock and back to Plymouth.

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For further information if required contact Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat LPO Vincent O Donovan at 086 2530637 or Lifeboat House at 023 8846600.

Key facts about the RNLI

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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