28 July 2023
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
West Cork
Baltimore RNLI were called out yesterday evening (Thursday 27 July) to provide assistance to a yacht with two people onboard that had suffered engine failure near Baltimore Harbour, west Cork.
The volunteer lifeboat crew, who were already at the lifeboat station and about to go on exercise, launched their inshore lifeboat at 7pm, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a 12m sailing yacht with two people on board, that had suffered engine failure just south east of Kedge Island, approximately 1 mile from the entrance to Baltimore Harbour.
The Baltimore inshore lifeboat crew arrived at the casualty vessel at 7.15pm and helm Pat O’Driscoll assessed the situation and decided that a tow was necessary. Volunteer crew member Kieran O’Driscoll was put aboard the casualty vessel to assist in rigging a tow and once established, the inshore lifeboat, with the casualty vessel under tow, proceeded to Baltimore Harbour. A second volunteer crew member, Rob O’Leary, was transferred on to the casualty vessel to assist with securing the yacht to the pontoon and once they made sure that the sailors were happy the lifeboat returned to the station, arriving at 8.45pm.
There were four volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Helm Pat O’Driscoll and crew members Kieran O’Driscoll, Ian Lynch and Rob O’Leary. Assisting at the lifeboat station were Tom Kelly and Seamus O’Driscoll. Conditions at sea during the call were calm with a westerly force 3 wind, no sea swell and good visibility.
Speaking following the call out, Pat O’Driscoll, Baltimore RNLI Volunteer Helm said: ‘Due to the position the yacht was in when we arrived, we decided a tow was necessary and the safest option to assist them. Please remember if you get into difficulty at sea, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.’
Photo by RNLI-Micheal-Cottrell
