Members of the Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard responded to a fifth call in a week today when they were requested to assist a cruise boat in difficulty and drifting close to the bridge in Killaloe.
The volunteer team was alerted at around 3.30pm by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.
It had been reported that a 25-ft cruise boat, with one person on board, had experienced engine problems and was drifting with the flow of the river towards the bridge between Ballina and Killaloe.
The sole occupant of the vessel managed to drop his anchor before raising the alarm.
A Coast Guard crew launched a rescue boat from their base at nearby Pier Head and was alongside the casualty vessel within minutes.
A crew member was transferred to the vessel and an assessment was carried out. It was decided to take the vessel on tow back to Harbour Village where it can be checked by a boat mechanic. A shore team as also on hand to assist in the safe mooring of the vessel.
At 4.35pm the unit were stood down and returned to base while today’s tasking was the fifth for the unit in the past seven days.
Meanwhile, the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, took part in a a search operation off Salthill in Galway this afternoon.
The Coast Guard had received a report of two swimmers in difficulty off the prom in Salthill at around 4.30pm.
The Galway RNLI lifeboat was tasked to respond while the crew of Rescue 115, who had been on a training exercise at the time, were also sent to the incident.
It’s understood that a lifeguard on duty in the area at the time rescued one of the swimmers by taking him ashore on a paddle board while the second person made it ashore safely.
