The Lough Derg RNLI was tasked on Sunday evening to assist two people on board a 25ft yacht that had run aground at Ryan’s Point on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.
The volunteer crew launched from their base at Dromineer at 5.06pm after being tasked by the Irish Coast Guard. At 5.14pm the lifeboat located the casualty vessel at Ryan’s Point, broadside to weather. The wind was westerly, Force 2/3 while visibility was good at the time.
Taking a tow line with him, an RNLI volunteer swam back to the casualty vessel whilst the lifeboat stood by in safe water. The people on board were found to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets. They had been motoring-sailing when their engine failed. The skipper had dropped anchor, but it dragged, and his yacht had drifted into the rocky shore. As the yacht was not hard aground, an RNLI volunteer was able to ease the vessel into safe water and to then receive a tow line from the lifeboat.
At 5.40pm the lifeboat took the casualty under tow and at 6.59pm, as the lifeboat approached Dromineer Harbour, the lifeboat changed to an alongside tow. At 7.12pm the casualty vessel was safely tied alongside in Dromineer Harbour.
Christine O’Malley, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users ‘as the boating season starts in earnest, remember to have your engine serviced and if you are alone on the water, tell someone your plans and what time you expect to arrive at your destination’.