Yacht with two onboard brought to safety by Wicklow RNLI
A 20ft sailing yacht with two people onboard was brought to safety by Wicklow RNLI this afternoon (Sunday 12 July).
The inshore lifeboat launched at 11:45am with Graham Fitzgerald (helm) and crew Alan Goucher and John Stapleton, to reports of a small yacht in difficulty.
The yacht was located four minutes later one mile east of Wicklow harbour,weather conditions at the time were described as sea state slight with force three southerly wind.
Volunteer crew member Alan Goucher was transferred onto the yacht to assist the two sailors, after they experienced problems with the mast and their outboard engine failed.
A towline was established and the yacht with two sailors were brought safely alongside the East pier at Wicklow harbour at 12:15pm.
This was the second callout for Wicklow RNLI volunteers over the weekend. On Saturday evening Wicklow all-weather lifeboat launched shortly after 7pm under the command of Coxswain Nick Keogh, to join Arklow lifeboat and the Dublin based Coast Guard helicopter ‘Rescue 116’ in a search for a yacht in difficulties.
The initial reports suggested the yacht’s position was nine miles south between Wicklow head and the Arklow wind farm.
Wicklow lifeboat was stood down by the Coast Guard and returned to station at 7:45pm after the stricken yacht was located by Rescue 116 near Courtown and assisted by Arklow lifeboat.
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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