By Dan Walsh
Three young people onboard a four-metre RIB that suffered engine failure and was drifting on the tide approximately one mile south of the Great Saltee Island were rescued by Kilmore Quay RNLI last night.
The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, by the Irish Coast Guard at 9pm. Weather conditions at the time were calm.
When the lifeboat, under Coxswain Philip Walsh with six crew members onboard, arrived on scene, the crew checked that everyone on board the RIB was safe and well before assessing the situation. It was decided to establish a towline and transfer those on board to the lifeboat.
With a towline secured and the crew of the RIB safely aboard, the lifeboat was soon underway back to Kilmore Quay, arriving back at the harbour at 10.07pm.
Speaking following the call out, John Grace, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: “Thankfully there was a positive outcome to this evening’s call out. With such good weather more people are spending more time on the water making it the charity’s busiest time of year. Even the best maintained equipment can encounter problems, so it is important to always be prepared for when it does happen. We would urge anyone heading out to sea to tell someone where you are going and when you will be back, carry a reliable means of communication, VHF or a mobile phone in a waterproof case in case you need to call for help and always wear a lifejacket.”
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