Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RNLI battle gales in 15-hr trawler rescue
Crews risk lives to save fishermen
RNLI crews battled for 15 hours to rescue a fishing boat after it got into difficulties in rough seas.
Dramatic video shows how the volunteers braved a heavy swell to secure a 45ft vessel that had lost power.
Lough Swilly, Portrush and Arranmore RNLI were sent to save the five fishermen whose wheelhouse windows were smashed by huge waves.
Belfast Coastguard summoned the boats on Saturdayfollowing a Mayday alert off the Donegal coast.
Lough Swilly crew launched their allweather lifeboat for the 90-minute journey 34 nautical miles from their station. Portrush RNLI had 50 nautical miles to travel.
Arranmore RNLI was requested to launch at 4pm.
The volunteers faced Force 9 to 10 gales and 50ft sea swells. The stricken fishermen were cold, tired and shaken from their ordeal.
Lough Swilly RNLI spokesman Joe Joyce said: “This was an extremely challenging call-out and we are delighted the fishermen were brought safely to shore.
“Crews are highly trained and skilled to carry out such challenging work and thanks to the generosity of the public, we are provided with the best of equipment and technology to save lives.”
Due to the challenging conditions, the decision was made to leave the crew on board their boat rather than transfer them to the lifeboat.
The lifeboat crew worked with the fishermen to establish a tow but despite attempts, the tow parted on three occasions in the storm.
On arrival Arranmore RNLI’S lifeboat took over the tow and brought the vessel back into the mouth of Lough Swilly where the tow was transferred to Lough Swilly’s lifeboat to allow Arranmore’s RNLI’S crew make the three and half hour return trip back to shore.