Lifeboat Callouts

Vessel in peril rescued by Lifeboat

Castletownbere Lifeboat rescued a thirty foot fishing vessel this morning as it drifted only feet from the treacherously rocky north shore of Dursey Island in West Cork..

The drama unfolded just after 8 o’clock  this morning as a local boat, with three crew aboard, fouled her propeller near the shore and started drifting towards the rocks in a 2 – 3 metre swell with a force 4 – 5 Northwesterly wind. Once the mayday alert was raised, the Coastguard Shannon based helicopter and Castletownbere Lifeboat were tasked at 8.25 a.m.. In addition other vessels in the area were requested to proceed to the vessel without delay.

The lifeboat, under Coxswain B. O’Driscoll, and crew M. Marrtin Sullivan, P. O’Connor, P. Stevens, A. Sparrow, M.O’Sullivan & D. Murphy, launched at 8.34. a.m. and swiftly located the casualty north of Dursey island at 9.24 a.m. The vessel had managed anchor and was holding fast just a few feet from the shore. As the lifeboat was on scene, the Shannon based helicopter was stood down and the lifeboat was brought into position in which a tow line could be passed safely to the stricken vessel. Once secure, the lifeboat slowly towed the vessel away from the shore and out of danger. Both vessels proceeded through the Dursey Sound and the lifeboat brought the fishing boat to a safe anchorage in a harbour just north of Blackball Head.

The lifeboat returned to port and was refuelled and ready for service again by 11.05. a.m.

ENDS
24/05/03

Lifeboat evacuates man from Lighthouse

An employee of Irish Lights with suspected cardiac difficulties was evacuated from a lighthouse off  West Cork. this morning. Castletownbere lifeboat responded to a call to a man in his early thirties who had been working on the Roancarrig Lighthouse which is located at the eastern entrance of Berehaven Harbour.

The alert was raised when Valentia Radio requested an immediate launch of the lifeboat to undertake a medivac (medical evacuation) without delay. The  52’ all weather lifeboat ‘Roy & Barbara Harding’ under Coxswain B. O’Driscoll, and crew B. Gonnelly, M. Martin-Sullivan Sen., P.O’Conor, J. Cross, M.T. O’Donoghue, P.Stevens, & M. Martin-Sullivan Jnr., launched at 10.20 a.m. and was on scene at Roancarrig lighthouse 30 minutes later.

Sea conditions were moderate with a two metre swell, a force four wind and poor visibility. Due to conditions at the time the lifeboat was unable to go alongside the landing pier at Roancarrig, and therefore the lifeboat launched its Y Boat – a small inflatable dingy used in circumstances such as this. Two lifeboat crew landed on the Roancarrig and attended to the casualty and prepared him for transfer to the lifeboat.

Within a five minutes, the casualty was on board the lifeboat and in receipt of first aid, and the Y boat recovered. The lifeboat returned to Castletown and was berthed at Dinish Island Pier at 11.20. a.m. The casualty was then attended by Dr C. Gleeson and subsequently transferred by ambulance to Bantry Hospital where his condition was described as “comfortable”. Castletownbere lifeboat was then refuelled and ready for service again by 11.50. a.m.

ENDS
22/05/03