The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was tasked this afternoon to locate a vessel feared to have struck rocks at Ryan’s Point on the lake.
The volunteer crew was tasked by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry. The lifeboat was to launch to first locate the vessel and if necessary, assess and escort a that boat to safe harbour.
The search operation was mounted after a member of the public reported that a vessel had made contact with rocks at Ryan’s Point. A description of the craft, which was en route to Dromineer Harbour, was passed to the lifeboat which launched at 1.41pm.
The lifeboat made a quick sweep of the public harbour but did not see a vessel that fitted the description given. The lifeboat made way to Ryan’s Point but there was no vessel at that location.
The RNLI volunteers spoke to the skipper of a vessel at anchor in the centre of the bay, but they had not seen a vessel in distress. The lifeboat returned to the public harbour and located a motor boat that fitted the description supplied to Valentia Coast Guard.
The vessel had recently passed Ryan’s Point but, according to the skipper, had not made contact with rocks and was not in need of assistance.
Christine O’Malley, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Lough Derg RNLI, advises boat users to ‘observe the navigation marks and be aware that there are sudden shallows and rocky shoals close to the shore’.
