The Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard was tasked to assist the crew of the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat on Monday afternoon after two sailors got into difficulty on the lake during Storm Floris.
Shortly after 11.00am, the Irish Coast Guard requested the crew of the Dromineer-based inshore lifeboat (ILB) to assemble and launch following a report that a vessel with two persons on board had run aground in severe weather.
The lifeboat launched at 11:25am in difficult conditions with a west-northwest Force 5 wind which was gusting F7, while visibility was said to be fair with frequent heavy and severe squalls.
At 11:42am, the lifeboat located the casualty vessel inside Navigation Buoy G at Kylanoe Point on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. The boat was heavily grounded on rocks, and with the severe westerly winds, was being pushed higher onto the rocky shore.
After a detailed assessment, the RNLI helm determined that due to the treacherous location and rough weather conditions, the lifeboat would be unable to get sufficiently close to the casualty vessel to evacuate the two people on board safely.
After discussing the situation with watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry, it was agreed that the Killaloe unit of the Coast Guard would be tasked.
Coast Guard olunteers departed their base at Pier Head, Killaloe by road with their flat-bottomed D-class lifeboat in tow. The team proceeded to Terryglass Harbour, north of the scene, to launch the D-class lifeboat which is designed to operate in shallow water and near rocky shores.
After a completing an on-scene briefing with RNLI personnel, the D-class crew navigated their way to the stern of the casualty vessel took the two occupants on board. After moving to out to safer waters, the sailors were transferred to the RNLI lifeboat and taken to safety at Dromineer Harbour.
The RNLI lifeboat returned to station at 2:37pm while the Killaloe Coast Guard crew were back at their base by 3.30pm.
Jeremy Freeman, Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI said afterwards: ‘This rescue, conducted in severe weather conditions, had a positive outcome due to the excellent cooperation between RNLI volunteers and our colleagues at Killaloe Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said: “This tasking showed the excellent multi-agency coordination between the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI crews on Lough Derg working together to ensure a safe rescue in challenging conditions.”
Jeremy Freeman added: “Remember, always check the lake weather forecast before embarking on your journey, and always carry a reliable means of communication with you.’