Two people have been brought to safety after their cruise boat ran aground on Lough Derg this afternoon.
Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry, alerted the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat at around 3.30pm.
The Coast Guard had received a report of a 36ft motor cruiser, with two people on board, running aground south of the Goat Road on the lake.
The Dromineer based lifeboat crew reached the scene at 3:55pm. The casualty vessel was found to be aground on the south side of the Goat Road; a raised rocky shoal inhabited by migrating birds.
Assessing the lake charts at the location of the casualty vessel, the navigator advised that there was sufficient depth port side of the cruiser on which the lifeboat could approach.
With an RNLI volunteer taking soundings and using the navigation instruments onboard, the lifeboat was alongside at 4pm. An RNLI volunteer transferred across to the casualty vessel and found both people on board to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejackets.
Given that their vessel was aground, the casualties were told that they would be taken off their boat and to the safety of Dromineer Harbour, where transport to their car would be arranged. Before departing the scene, the RNLI volunteer deployed the anchor as an additional precaution. The lifeboat crew advised Coast Guard staff at Valentia of the plan.
At 4:12pm the lifeboat departed the scene with the two casualties on board
Commenting on the callout, Mary Hurley, Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI said: “The people on board were correct in calling for help as soon as they found themselves in difficulty. If you get into difficulty or see somebody else in trouble on the water, dial 999 or 112 or use VHF radio Channel 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.”