The volunteer crew of the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was tasked this afternoon to investigate a report from a member of the public that a kayaker was in difficulty by Navigation Mark J, at the northern end of the lake.
At 3.40pm the lifeboat crew was paged by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry and requested to launch. Winds were south-westerly Force 4 and gusting. Visibility was good.
When the lifeboat arrived at Navigation Mark J, north of Gortmore, the crew began a thorough search of the area.
From shore, two swimmers at Gortmore observed the lifeboat and called the RNLI boathouse in Dromineer, suspecting that the water-board which they had been using as a safety buoy may have caused alarm. The board was at the location at which the member of public had thought they’d seen an upturned kayak.
The Coast Guard was informed and the lifeboat was stood down.
Jeremy Freeman, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI said ‘this was a false alarm but with good intent’. He says ‘if you see someone in difficulty in the water call 999 or 112 and ask for marine rescue. Stay safe and not to not enter the water yourself, too many people drown trying to save others.’