Two sailors rescued by Clifden RNLI off Connemara coast
Two sailors rescued by Clifden RNLI off Connemara coast
Lifeboats News Release
The volunteer crew of Clifden RNLI were called out on Friday morning at 7.30am to assist a stranded yacht. The vessel with two sailors on board had come into difficulty to the south west of Inishark.
RNLI/Clifden
Clifden RNLI Atlantic 85 and Shannon class ALB crew rescue a yacht with two sailors
Both of Clifden's lifeboats launched; the Atlantic 85 helmed by Daniel Whelan with Shane Conneely and Chris Nee as crew. They were followed by
St. Christopher, Clifden's Shannon class ALB with John Mullen as Coxswain, James Mullen, Joe Acton, Neil Gallery and Alan Kearney as crew. They were assisted from the shore by Tom Guy, John Heffernan and Sean Mercer. The sea conditions at the time were moderate, with force 5 wind and good visibility.
On arriving at the scene the crew found the sailors to be well and in good spirits however the propeller and rudder on their yacht had become badly entangled with ropes. The lifeboat crew set about establishing a tow line and brought the casualty vessel and the passengers back to safety at Cleggan harbour.
Speaking about the rescue, Coxswain John Mullen said; "The sailors today did the right thing in calling for assistance when they ran into difficulty and I am delighted we were able help. Our volunteer crew did a great job of ensuring a speedy, safe and successful operation this morning. I'd like to thank the two sailors who kindly offered to buy breakfast for the crew after we reached the shore, the breakfast was most welcome after an early start saving lives at sea."
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.
