Busy day for Baltimore RNLI with two callouts

BALTIMORE RNLI were called out twice today.

Their first call was to provide two medical evacuation in the early hours of this morning, Monday, from Sherkin.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 00.28am, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide medical assistance and evacuation to a man living on the island.

The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew arrived at Sherkin Island pier at 00.39am.  Three voluntary lifeboat crew members proceeded to the casualty’s location where they administered casualty care and then transferred him by stretcher back to the lifeboat.  The lifeboat departed Sherkin at 1.19am and handed the casualty over to the HSE paramedics who were waiting at Baltimore lifeboat station.

There were seven volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, coxswain Aidan Bushe, mechanic Cathal Cottrell and crew members Micheal Cottrell, Colin Whooley, Brian McSweeney, Jerry Smith and Don O’Donovan.

Conditions in the harbour during the call out were calm with a south westerly force 2-3 wind and no sea swell.

Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer said: ‘Baltimore RNLI often provide medical evacuations to residents of islands off the coast of West Cork. If you find yourself in need of medical assistance whilst on an island call 999 or 112.’

And this afternoon, they were again called out to provide assistance – this time to a yacht in difficulty in Baltimore harbour, in their second callout of the day.

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their inshore lifeboat at 12.05pm, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide assistance to a yacht with two people onboard that was in difficulty in strong wind and rough seas in Baltimore harbour.

The Baltimore inshore lifeboat crew arrived at the casualty vessel at 12.09pm and discovered it had broken free from a mooring and was caught by its rudder on a line in the harbour.

Voluntary lifeboat crew member David Ryan went aboard the casualty vessel to establish a tow.  The Baltimore inshore lifeboat towed the vessel through rough conditions in the harbour and put the boat on a mooring in the shelter of Sherkin Island.

An anchor was also dropped from the yacht for added security.  The occupants of the yacht were then brought back to Baltimore, and the lifeboat returned to station, arriving at 12.43pm.

There were four volunteer crew onboard the lifeboat, Helm Micheal Cottrell and crew members Pat O’Driscoll, David Ryan and Ian Lynch.  Also assisting at the boathouse were Jerry and Rianne Smith.  Conditions in the harbour during the call were very windy with a south westerly force 7-8 wind and 1.5m sea swell.

Speaking following the call out, Kate Callanan, Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer said: ‘The crew of the yacht did the right thing in alerting the Irish Coast Guard as soon as they knew they were in trouble as it could have escalated very quickly in the poor weather conditions in the harbour at the time.

'This is the second call of the day for Baltimore RNLI who were called out to a medevac on Sherkin Island in the early hours of this morning.  If you find yourself in need of assistance at sea or on an island call 999 or 112.’