
Clifden RNLI recover group of 14 people stranded on island in severe weather
Shortly before 10am on Monday 29 June, both Clifden RNLI lifeboats responded to a launch request to help a group of 14 people leave the island of Inishturk South.
The group had been staying on the island for a couple of nights and were unable to leave as planned due to the severe weather conditions.
While there are a number of houses on the island, there are no permanent year round residents and as such there are no services. It was therefore decided by Clifden RNLI Launching Authority John Roberts that the best course of action was to launch the lifeboats to assist the group, rather than running the risk of smaller local boats attempting to do so in the ongoing rough weather.
Clifden’s inshore lifeboat, the Atlantic 85 Joyce King, helmed by Daniel Whelan put two crew members ashore to escort people in small groups onto the lifeboat which then transferred them to the waiting Shannon all-weather class lifeboat.
The group was then transferred back to Clifden Quay by the volunteer crew of the all-weather lifeboat under Coxswain John Mullen.
Speaking after the launch he said: ‘We were glad to be able to help this group of people who had no other safe option for getting off the island. The severe winds of the last few days have caused a lot of disruption to plans, but we are once again lucky to have the fantastic capacity of the all-weather lifeboat in situations like this where larger numbers of people are involved. Well done to all the crew on what has been a very busy weekend for the station.'
This was the fourth launch in three days for the Clifden RNLI volunteer crew. They had previously recovered a steel fishing boat that had foundered on the rocks after breaking its mooring and also recovered two sailing boats that had gone ashore in the challenging weather conditions.
Ends
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Catherine Pryce, Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 0864006666 or [email protected] or Nuala McAloon Regional Media Officer on 00353876483547 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.