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Courtown RNLI responds after small dinghy spotted drifting off Rooney Rock

Lifeboats News Release

Courtown RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew respond to a call out on Thursday last (20 June) after a small dinghy was sighted drifting off Rooney Rock.

Courtown RNLI

RNLI/Courtown

Courtown RNLI

The crew were requested by the Irish Coast Guard to launch their inshore lifeboat at 7.34pm following a sighting of a small craft adrift south of Ardamine, near Rooney Rock. The lifeboat launched shortly after, at 7.44pm with helm Fergus Slevin and crew members Brian McEvoy and Conor Berney onboard. They arrived on scene approximately 1km north of Rooney Rock at close to 8pm and observed that the small dinghy was capsized and unmanned.

The conditions were favourable at the time with partial cloud and a slight wind. With assistance from radio contact with shore crew, the crew established the boat had inadvertently drifted out to sea with no one onboard. To avoid the unmanned dinghy from posing a potential hazard to others, a decision was made to tow the vessel to the nearest safe port at Courtown.

Speaking following the call out, Mark Chambers, Courtown RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘Thankfully no one was in danger in this instance, but we would always much rather launch and find that all is ok than not launch at all. We would like to thank the member of the public who raised the alarm when they thought someone was in difficulty, that is always the right thing to do. It was good to be able to remove the drifting dinghy in case it would present a hazard to others.

‘This was the first call out of the year, and we were delighted to help. I want to commend the crew and say thanks and well done to Conor who was on his first call out. His dedication to training has paid off and he is now able to put his skills into action in call outs.’


Ends

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Nicky Deacon, Courtown RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 0862598301, email [email protected] or Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Media Officer on 087 648 3547 or email [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Media Manager on 087 1254 124 or [email protected]

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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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.

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