Lifeboat launches twice in two days
IT WAS a busy weekend for the volunteer
Arklow RNLI crew members as the lifeboat launched twice over last weekend on Friday and Saturday at the request of the Irish Coastguard.
The first launch took place on Friday, September 7 at 3.15 p.m. to a power boat which had developed engine difficulties.
Initial reports indicated that the vessel was just outside Arklow Harbour but when no sign of the vessel with one person aboard could be found, the volunteers set up a search pattern and located the vessel a short time later close to Castletown Beach, several miles South of Arklow. The vessel and its owner were towed safely back to Arklow. On Sunday, September 8 at 3.55 p.m, GER T and her volunteer crew were requested to launch to a MAYDAY which had been received by the Irish Coast Guard.
Within minutes the crew were en route to a 12.5 metre yacht which had become fouled in fishing gear and was in difficulty approximately one mile outside Arklow harbour.
Once on scene it was decided to put a crew member aboard the large yacht to assist with trying to free the boat from the fishing gear, a short time later once freed the yacht plus her six crew were towed back to Arklow and all came ashore safely.
Following the incidents, Mark Corcoran Community Safety Officer at Arklow RNLI said ‘We would like to once again remind people to Respect the Water and always wear a life-jacket and carry a means of calling for help when going out on the water’.
Further Water Safety Information can be found at www. respecthewater.com