The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was launched this afternoon to assist lone skipper on a 20ft cruiser reported adrift on the lake in rough weather.
At 1.25pm, watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry paged and requested the lifeboat to launch to reports of a 20ft cruiser that had suffered engine failure in rough weather. There was just one person on board.
The vessel was reported to be off the Clare shore of the lake behind the Corrakeen Islands.
On reaching the location, the lifeboat crew located the casualty vessel. It was lying side on to weather on the western shore of the lake behind the Corrakeens. The person on board was safe and wearing their lifejacket.
The skipper explained to the RNLI volunteers that having come down the Shannon to the lake without incident, their engine failed and they were unable to get it going again.
Given the vessel’s location on the navigation route, the local weather conditions and forecast, and the possibility of initiating another emergency response should the vessel be left where it was, the helm made the decision to take the cruiser under an alongside tow to the nearest safe haven at Dromaan Harbour, in East Clare a short distance along the shoreline from the casualty vessel’s location.
The casualty vessel was safely tied alongside in Dromaan at 2.30pm. The lifeboat departed the scene and, back at station, was washed down and refuelled at 3pm.
Peter Kennedy, Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI said ‘given the conditions on the lake today, the casualty made the correct decision to immediately call for help by dialling 999 and asking for the Coast Guard’.
