Lough Ree RNLI assists two fishermen after boat takes on water
Two fishermen, whose boat was taking on water, were brought to safety by Lough Ree RNLI this week.
At 3.45pm on Wednesday (18 April), the volunteer lifeboat crew was tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to come to the aid of two fishermen whose boat was taking on water just south of Inchmore near the eastern shore of Lough Ree.
While visibility was good, the conditions on the lake were quite rough with a swell of one to two metres and strong winds measuring force six coming from the south, south west.
The fishermen had got into difficulty when their 17ft aluminium boat began taking on water due to the size of the waves on the lake. They made their way to the nearest island, Ilanfan, to bring the boat ashore, so it was not able to sink. From there they made contact with the Coast Guard to request assistance.
Lough Ree RNLI volunteers, helm Tom Bradbury and crewmembers Liam Sherringham and Shane McCormack arrived on scene at 4.10pm. Having ensured the two gentlemen were uninjured and the casualty boat hadn’t been damaged by rocks on the island they proceeded to bail the water out of it. Once removed, the lifeboat crew towed the fishing boat alongside the lifeboat The Eric Rowse to bring it to deeper waters. Once in deeper waters the crew together with the two gentlemen assessed the conditions of the lake and made the decision to continue the tow back to Coosan Point.
Speaking after the call out Lough Ree Volunteer Helm Tom Bradbury said: ‘Conditions on Lough Ree can vary greatly depending on the wind direction and speed. We would advise all users of the lake to always ensure they carry a means of communication such as a mobile phone or VHF radio with them, like these two gentlemen did’.
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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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