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Castletownbere RNLI launches in poor weather to assist two on fishing boat

Lifeboats News Release

Castletownbere’s RNLI lifeboat launched yesterday morning (Tuesday 13 August) to assist two people on a fishing vessel in difficulty 18 miles south west of the major fishing port.

Castletownbere RNLI crew

RNLI/Castletownbere

Castletownbere RNLI crew

At 11.52am, Valentia Coast Guard Marine Coordination Rescue Centre requested assistance for a 40ft fishing boat with two people aboard, which had experienced mechanical difficulties and was in danger of taking on water.

The all-weather lifeboat, Annette Hutton, was launched within seven minutes under the command of Coxswain Dean Hegarty, with mechanic Dave Fenton, and crew Sean O’Sullivan, David O’Donovan and Carl Cronin.

The lifeboat located the vessel at 12.50pm and the weather on scene was described as poor with Force 6 westerly winds with a 3m sea swell.. The two fishermen were found to be safe and well. The fishing boat was unable to manoeuvre due to damage to the propeller shaft and and so the vessel was towed to Castletownbere where it was berthed at the pier at 4.15pm.

The Duty Launch Authority, Felix O’Donoghue, commented: ‘The crew on the vessel made the correct call in contacting the Coast Guard, given the weather conditions and the potential for the situation to rapidly get worse’.

Ends

Castletownbere RNLI's lifeboat

RNLI/Castletownbere

Castletownbere RNLI's lifeboat

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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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