Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist a person on a 23ft speed boat broken down by ‘The Goat Road’
At 6.10pm on Thursday May 10, Lough Derg RNLI launched following a request by Valentia Coast Guard to assist a person on a 23ft speed boat broken down by The Goat Road on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.
Winds were south-easterly, Force 3/4. Visibility was very good.
The Lifeboat, with helm Dom Sharkey, Eleanor Hooker and Ger Egan on board, arrived on scene at 6.28pm. The Shannon Princess passenger vessel remained on scene until the lifeboat arrived.
The skipper of the speed boat had dropped anchor, but it was dragging and bringing the vessel close to rocks on the Clare shore. An RNLI volunteer was transferred across to the casualty vessel, where the person on board were found to be safe and unharmed and wearing their lifejacket.
The RNLI crew member made a thorough check of the cruiser and found that the issue was most likely an electrical failure.
The lifeboat volunteer got the casualty vessel ready for tow, he weighed anchor and the lifeboat took the motor boat under tow to Portumna Harbour, where, at 6.50pm, it was safely tied alongside.
The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 20.32pm
Dom Sharkey, volunteer helm on the Lifeboat, says the ‘skipper did the correct thing to drop anchor and to call for help immediately’ He thanked the skipper of the Shannon Princess for ‘standing by in safe water until we arrived on scene’.
