26 July 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Baltimore RNLI were called out on back to back calls in West Cork last night
The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 8.15pm, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard in order to assist a 23 foot motor boat, with two people on board, which was taking on water in Church Strand within Baltimore Harbour.
The Baltimore inshore lifeboat crew arrived at the casualty vessel at 8.17pm and crewman John Kearney was put aboard the vessel to assess the situation. The leak was plugged using a wooden dowel plug provided by the lifeboat. The casualty vessel then made its own way to the pier in Baltimore under escort from the inshore lifeboat. John Kearney assisted the occupants of the casualty vessel in securing it to the pier and once the occupants were happy he returned to the inshore lifeboat. The inshore lifeboat then made its way back to the boathouse, arriving at 8.45pm.
There were three volunteer crew onboard the inshore lifeboat, Helm Micheal Cottrell and crew members John Kearney and James Kitt. Assisting at the lifeboat house were Rianne Smith and Tom Kelly.
While the volunteer inshore lifeboat crew were still in the boathouse a second request came from the Irish Coast Guard to launch the all-weather lifeboat on a medevac to Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork.
The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew launched at 9.15pm and proceeded to Cape Clear, arriving at the pier in North Harbour at 9.40pm. They transferred the casualty, a girl who had been injured in an accident on the island, onboard the lifeboat and the lifeboat departed Cape Clear at 9.43pm. The lifeboat returned to the station in Baltimore arriving at 10.15pm and the casualty was handed over to the care of HSE Ambulance crew.
There were six volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Coxswain Aidan Bushe, Mechanic Micheal Cottrell and crew members Jerry Smith, Colin Whooley, Don O’Donovan and Jim Baker.
Conditions at sea during both calls were flat calm with a south westerly force 2 wind, no sea swell and good visibility.
Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘It was a busy evening for Baltimore RNLI and our volunteer crews with our inshore and all-weather lifeboats on back to back calls. If you get into difficulty at sea or on the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’
