Clogherhead RNLI assists fishing boat sinking off Clogherhead Beach

The all-weather Shannon class lifeboat, the Michael O'Brien, was launched at 15.15pm on Wednesday (5 August) with five crew members on board and with the assistance of six shore crew members.

The lone fisherman had been transferred to a nearby boat after concerns that his fishing boat was at risk of sinking. On arrival, the crew took the casualty on board the lifeboat. He was in good health and did not require medical assistance. The lifeboat then went alongside the sinking boat and deployed portable pumps to pump the boat dry and an RNLI crew member stayed on board to keep watch on the water ingress alongside the Skipper of the boat. The fishing boat's engine was successfully restarted and the lifeboat escorted the vessel safely to Port Oriel under its own power.

The Clogherhead Coast Guard unit, the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter were also in attendance and remained on standby to provide assistance if required.

Speaking following the call out, Coxswain Tomas Whelehan said: “The Skipper did the right thing calling for help, his quick actions and the assistance of a nearby fishing vessel, combined with the close proximity of the lifeboat, helped ensure a positive outcome. This incident highlights the importance of acting quickly when there is water ingress and a vessel may be at risk of sinking.

We always encourage anyone working at sea to keep their vessel well maintained and to ensure you can stay afloat with a lifejacket, stay in touch with a radio or phone, and stay put with a suitable anchor. If you do get into difficulty, call the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 or by phoning 999 or 112”.

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For further information, please contact:

Fiona Lynch, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Ireland, [email protected]

Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Ireland, 087 648 3547, [email protected]

Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Ireland, 087 125 4124, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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