Donate now
  • Home
  • News and media
  • Lough Derg RNLI assists a person on a 26ft cruiser with fouled propeller

Lough Derg RNLI assists a person on a 26ft cruiser with fouled propeller

Lifeboats News Release

Earlier today, Thursday 2 July, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist a person on a 26ft cruiser adrift with a fouled propeller.

View from the helm seat looking back the lifeboat and at the crew monitoring the tow

RNLI/Eleanor Hooker

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Jean Spier
Download image
At 4:38pm Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with volunteer helm James Corballis and crew Paraic Slattery, Joe O’Donoghue and Steve Smyth on board. The wind was north-west, Force 2 to 3. Visibility was good.


At 4:43pm the lifeboat located the vessel near Williamstown, above the Corakeen Islands. The person on board was safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejacket.


Given the location, close to a main navigation route, and the possibility of another callout should the vessel be left where it was and with no other suitable vessel to tow assist, the helm made the decision to take the casualty vessel to the closest safe harbour at Dromineer. The lifeboat informed the Coast Guard of this decision.


An RNLI volunteer transferred across to the casualty vessel and explained the plan before he prepared the cruiser for an astern tow.

At 5:18pm, the casualty vessel was safely tied alongside at Dromineer Harbour. The lifeboat departed the scene to return to station where it was washed down and refuelled and made ready for service.

Commenting on the callout, Jeremy Freeman, Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI said: ‘we would remind boat users to ensure you lines are all stowed carefully. If you get into difficulty or see somebody else in trouble on the water, dial 999 or 112 or use VHF radio Channel 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.’

RNLI Media Contacts

RNLI media contacts       

For more information please telephone Eleanor Hooker, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 0877535207 or [email protected] or Nuala McAloon, Regional Media Officer on 0876483547 [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, Regional Media Manager on 0871254124 or [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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

Eleanor Hooker
Lifeboat Press Officer, Lough Derg Lifeboat Station

Categories