Baltimore RNLI provides assistance to a yacht in difficulty with one onboard
Baltimore RNLI was called out to provide assistance to a yacht with one person onboard that got into difficulty off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork, on Saturday evening (21 May).
The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 6.12pm, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a 29ft motor yacht, with one person onboard, which was propped on a pot line 1.5 miles southwest of Kedge Island off Baltimore Harbour.
The Baltimore inshore lifeboat crew arrived at the casualty vessel at 6.25pm. Volunteer crew member Stuart Musgrave was put aboard the casualty vessel to assist the lone sailor. The volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat were able to free the casualty vessel from the line coming from the bottom of the sea, but there was still rope wrapped heavily around the propeller and couldn’t be freed.
Helm Kieran Collins decided that undertaking a tow was necessary. The lifeboat passed a tow to the yacht and the lifeboat and casualty vessel were underway by 6.50pm. The lifeboat then proceeded to Baltimore Harbour, the nearest safe and suitable port, arriving at 7.20pm. Once the casualty vessel was secured at the pier in Baltimore Harbour, the lifeboat returned to the station, arriving at 7.37pm.
There were four volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Helm Kieran Collins and crew members Micheal Cottrell, Kieran O’Driscoll and Stuart Musgrave. Conditions at sea during the call were choppy with a south westerly force 3-4 wind, a 1.5m sea swell and good visibility.
This is the second call out of the week for Baltimore RNLI, the all-weather lifeboat responded to a medivac call to Sherkin Island on Thursday 19 May.
Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘If you get into difficulty at sea or on the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’
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