On Saturday afternoon, Kilmore Quay RNLI came to the rescue of three people stranded on a RIB off Ballyhealy Beach. The all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, Killarney, was launched after the Irish Coast Guard received a call from a concerned member of the public. The RIB was anchored approximately 100 meters off the beach, and the weather was sunny but with a strong southwesterly breeze blowing at Force 6 to 7, causing large waves to form close to the shore.
The lifeboat arrived on the scene at 3:30 pm and quickly established that the three people on board were safe and well. They were transferred to the lifeboat for passage back to Kilmore Quay, and a towline was established to the RIB. The lifeboat set off for Kilmore Quay and arrived back in the harbour at 4:50 pm. The casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina by the Kilmore Quay unit of the Irish Coast Guard, who also took care of the three casualties when they disembarked from the lifeboat. The lifeboat was made ready for service again by the crew.
Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace expressed gratitude that the outcome was good and urged anyone heading out to sea to tell someone where they are going and when they will be back. He also emphasised the importance of carrying a reliable means of communication, such as a VHF or a mobile phone in a waterproof case, in case of an emergency. Grace thanked the Kilmore Quay Coast Guard unit for their assistance during the rescue operation.