The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was called out to assist a group of 12 people on board a 52ft cruiser after the vessel ran aground this evening.
At 6.15pm, watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry alerted and requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to the incident.
The volunteer lifeboat crew was tasked to the scene inside the Goat Road, a raised shoal for migrating birds, at navigation mark E on the eastern shore of the lake.
After launching at 6.30pm the lifeboat reached the scene at 6.47pm. On arrival, the lifeboat crew could see that the cruise hire company were also on scene and setting up to re-float the cruiser. The lifeboat informed staff at Valentia MRSC of the situation and their decision to standby.
When the tug had the cruiser off the shoal and in safe water, making way and under way, the lifeboat volunteers update watch officers in Valentia and were stood down. The lifeboat departed the scene and back at station at 7.04pm.
Christine O’Malley, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to ‘plan your passage, study your charts and don’t stray off the charted navigation routes’.
