Four people were towed to safety on Saturday afternoon after their 18-foot speedboat suffered engine trouble off the Clare coast.
The Aran Islands RNLI was tasked at 1:30pm on Sunday following a report from the Irish Coast Guard that a vessel had broken down and was adrift with four people on board.
The lifeboat launched at 1:45pm from Cill Rónain Harbour and quickly proceeded to the reported location of the vessel.
Once on scene, the people on board were assessed and were found to be in good spirits. Given the warm weather and lack of shelter on board the vessel, water was offered to them.
The decision to tow was made due to the location of the vessel and possibility of drifting towards land. The lifeboat crew safely established a tow line and brought the vessel to Doolin Pier.
Speaking after the call out, Aran Islands Station Coxswain, Aonghus Ó hIarnáin said: ‘Thanks to the quick actions of our crew, we were able to reach the vessel promptly and ensure the safety of those on board. Remember when going out to sea, always carry a means of calling for help and if you do get into difficulty don’t hesitate to call the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16 or by calling 112.”
Meanwhile, on Friday evening, the Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat was tasked to another incident while some volunteers crews members were attending a wedding.
The crew was paged by the Irish Coast Guard at 8.59pm on Friday following reports of an overdue kayaker.
Members of the crew gathered at the station including coxswains Noel Seoighe and Aonghus Ó hIarnáin who were attending the wedding.
Fortunately the crew was stood down once contact was re-established with the kayaker.
“It’s a reminder when kayaking to always tell someone else where you’re going and when you’ll be back. They can raise the alarm with the coast guard by calling 999 or 112 if you are overdue,” an RNLI spokesperson said.