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Howth RNLI crew rescue lone sailor in the Irish Sea

Lifeboats News Release

The volunteer lifeboat crew at Howth RNLI launched their All-Weather Lifeboat on Thursday afternoon to assist a sailor whose yacht was adrift in the Irish Sea, east of Howth and unable to make his way to safety.

Howth All-Weather Lifeboat in Dublin Bay with the Poolbeg chimneys visible in the background.

Miriam Power

Howth Lifeboat in Dublin Bay
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The sailor, who was on a passage from Waterford to Northern Ireland, had suffered engine failure shortly after crossing Dublin Bay. He called the Coast Guard and a decision was made to launch the Howth All-Weather Lifeboat to provide assistance. The pagers sounded at 3:51pm, and the Lifeboat was launched shortly after with seven crew on board.

Weather conditions were somewhat challenging with moderate to strong southerly winds, and a choppy sea state.

Howth Lifeboat reached the yacht, which was approximately two miles East of Howth Head within fifteen minutes. The Coxswain brought the lifeboat alongside the yacht to transfer a crew member on board. The sailor was assessed and required no immediate medical attention. Having failed to restart the engine, and given the potential navigational hazard of a yacht drifting close to the shipping lane into Dublin Port, a decision was made to attach the tow line and bring the yacht to Howth.

Speaking following the incident, the Coxswain, Fred Connolly said: “The sailor did the right thing in calling for help when he realised he was in difficulty. The sea conditions were challenging, and an hour later, darkness would have been setting in, and the yacht could have been a major hazard to shipping traffic going to and from Dublin Port.

As the Spring weather improves, we expect to see an increase in activity around our coastal waters. Our advice for anyone going to sea is to plan your journey in advance, have life-jackets for all on board and a means of calling for help if you find yourself in trouble."

ENDS

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.

About the author

Aidan Murphy
Lifeboat Press Officer, Howth Lifeboat Station

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