RNLI Baltimore Lifeboat tows yacht to safety

The RNLI Baltimore Lifeboat was tasked by Valentia Coastguard at 16:27 on Thursday 5th July to attend to a yacht aground in Baltimore Harbour.

The 40ft steel sloop registered in Dublin, had anchored in the relative safety of the harbour, but as the wind increased to storm force she dragged her anchor onto the rocks at Bull Point adjacent to Baltimore Lifeboat Station.

The lifeboat was launched immediately, and passed a tow to the stricken vessel, which was aground just 50 metres south of the lifeboat station. Crew Member Micheal Cottrell transferred to the yacht to assist its one-man crew. The lifeboat towed the casualty off the shore while she slipped her anchor and was then towed across Baltimore Harbour. The vessel was left alongside the visitor’s pontoon on Sherkin Island, safe in the shelter on the Island.

Some of the lifeboat crew had already been assembled in the lifeboat station prior to the call, as they had been giving a briefing to the junior members of the Baltimore Sailing Club. The children were learning about the RNLI and its operations while they were unable to participate on their sailing courses due to the unseasonably inclement weather.

Crew: Coxswain Kieran Cotter, Mechanic Cathal Cottrell, Micheal Cottrell, Revlin Minihane, Eoin Ryan Aidan Bushe, John Joe O’Driscoll & Gerry Smith.

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