Members of the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard were called into action this morning to assist a lone sailor who got into difficulty on the River Shannon.
The alarm was raised at around 9.00am when the only occupant of a 40-foot sail boat contacted the Irish Coast Guard to request assistance. The skipper reported he was just south of Parteen Weir.
The vessel, which was en route to Limerick, had just past through the weir when it experienced engine difficulty. The skipper quickly dropped anchor in an effort to prevent the boat drifting and running aground.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry alerted the volunteer team based in Killaloe.
A boat crew launched from the Coast Guard base at Pier Head Killaloe and was alongside the casualty vessel within minutes. A land crew was also dispatched to Parteen Weir by road in case assistance was required.
The vessel sustained no damage and was taken on tow back to Killaloe where it was tied up safely.
About two hours after being alerted, the crew were stood down and returned to base.
The message from the Coast Guard is: “If you see someone in difficulty please call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”
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