THE Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat crew launched after 3.30am this morning to assist a 19m fishing vessel which experienced difficulty off the Bull Rock in Beara.
THE Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat crew launched early this morning, just after 3.30am to assist a 19m fishing vessel which experienced difficulty off the Bull Rock in Beara.
The alarm was raised when the vessel, with four persons on board, experienced mechanical difficulties 11 miles west of the Bull Rock.
The alarm was raised with Valentia Coast Guard Radio requesting immediate assistance from Castletownbere lifeboat, which was tasked at 3.27am.
The lifeboat was launched within minutes under the command of coxswain Dean Hegarty and five crew, and located the fishing vessel at 5.20am, 28 miles west of Castletownbere harbour.
There was a 3-4m swell and the wind was Force 5 westerly.
The lifeboat took the fishing boat under tow shortly afterwards and brought it to safety within Castletownbere harbour arriving at noon.
Commenting on the call-out, Castletownbere RNLI launching authority Felix O’Donoghue said: ‘The crew are to be praised for their quick response and swift launch this morning. They spent eight-and-a-half hours at sea and thankfully the outcome has been positive.'
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