Fishing tragedy on Lough Ree RNLI recalled

On 20 March 2014, Lough Ree RNLI was called to a fishing boat accident near Yew Point on Lough Ree. Three members of Portadown Angling Club were onboard the 16ft boat which capsized. John Trimble was rescued by Lough Ree RNLI’s volunteer crew and was the only survivor of the accident. David Warnock was also rescued by the lifeboat crew but died later in hospital. A 16-day search continued for the third member of the party, Daryl Burke, who was recovered from the water on 5 April, 2014.

Survivor John Trimble died after a short illness, on the 20 January. It was his wish that, in lieu of flowers, mourners at his funeral would make a donation to Lough Ree RNLI. At the small informal gathering at the lifeboat station on Saturday, his wife Ann presented the charity with a cheque for €1,840.

Every year since the tragedy in 2014, John and Ann who are from Market Hill in County Armagh, had returned to Lough Ree to remember their lost friends, lay flowers at the memorial at Coosan Point and meet with volunteers at Lough Ree RNLI.

Accepting the donation, Dave McCourt, Lough Ree RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager welcomed Ann and her sons John, William and Colin to the station. Former volunteer crew member Robbie West, who was lifeboat helm on the day of the tragedy said: ‘The friendship of the crew with the Trimble family has been a long and enduring one and RNLI volunteers always keep John, David and Daryl in their thoughts.’

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For more information please telephone Tom McGuire, Lough Ree RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 0872470245 or email [email protected] or contact Nuala McAloon, Regional Communications Manager on 0876483547 or [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, Regional Communications Lead on 0871254124 or [email protected]

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The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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