Baltimore RNLI’s lifeboat volunteers were called upon twice in two days, both time to boats that had got into difficulty near Cape Clear Island in West Cork.
On Friday 26 August, the crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 10.27am following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a 32ft yacht with one person on board which was propped around half a kilometre north of Bird Island, just off Cape Clear.
The lifeboat was on scene 12 minutes later, under helm Pat O’Driscoll with crew members Kieran O’Driscoll, Rob O’Leary and John Kearney Jr, the latter being put aboard the casualty vessel to assist the lone sailor.
While they were able to free the yacht from the pot buoy line on which it was snagged, the propeller was still fouled so the helm decided that a tow was necessary.
Kearney assisted in rigging a tow and the lifeboat and casualty vessel were under way by 10.58am. The lifeboat then proceeded to Baltimore Harbour, the nearest safe and suitable port, arriving at 12.05pm to secure the casualty vessel at the pier.
Then on Saturday (27 August), the lifeboat was launched at 3.15pm to a report of a 28ft fishing boat with two people on board which was propped on another pot buoy, near South Harbour in Cape Clear Island.
Baltimore’s lifeboat operations manager Tom Bushe had initially been alerted to the problem by a relative of the vessel’s skipper.
The lifeboat crew — helm Pat O’Driscoll with Eoin O’Driscoll, Ian Lynch and Johnny McKenna — arrived at the casualty vessel at 3.26pm.
While the skipper and his crew mate had managed to free themselves from the pot buoy line, they were unable to manoeuvre so helm Pat O’Driscoll made the decision that a tow was required.
The lifeboat passed a towline to the vessel to establish a tow by 3.30pm and proceeded north to North Harbour on Cape Clear Island, the nearest safe and suitable port on this occasion, where the casualty vessel was secured at the pier at 4.32pm.
Speaking following these callouts, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer said: “It has been a busy couple of days for Baltimore Lifeboat and as always we are grateful to our crews for being ready to answer their pagers as soon as required.
“Please remember, if you find yourself in difficulty whilst at sea call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
