#rnli – The RNLI's newest lifeboat station on Lough Ree received its first callout yesterday afternoon just a few days before it officially goes operational. The call for help was made by a man onboard a barge who had become grounded five miles south of Lanesborough and needed assistance.
Two volunteer lifeboat crewmembers, Róis Ní Dhochartaigh and Jane Walsh, were out on exercise at the time with RNLI Deputy Divisional Inspector Tristan Murphy when the Coast Guard raised the alarm and asked the lifeboat crew to respond. It was the first callout for the new volunteers and enabled them to put their lifeboat training into practice.
A lifeboat crewmember was transferred onboard the casualty vessel and a tow was established to take the vessel off the rocks and out of harms way. It was then transferred to Lanesborough.
RNLI Deputy Divisional Inspector Tristan Murphy commented, "While out on training with the volunteers we try and deal with all types of rescue scenarios but the lifeboat crew didn't expect to come across a real life one just yet. As expected the training took over and the man and his vessel were brought to safety by the lifeboat crew."
The new station has eighteen volunteer crewmembers and will operate an Atlantic 75 lifeboat out of Coosan Point in Athlone.