Castletownbere’s lifeboat crew dealt with a boat engine fire near Ardnakinna Lighthouse over the weekend.

RNLI lifeboat Anne Hutton was alerted to the fire at around 2pm on Saturday afternoon and the crew of six went out in a Force 6/7 westerly wind and a three-metre swell to assist.

And 12 minutes later, the lifeboat arrived on scene just outside the harbour’s mouth.

The boat skipper had already quenched the engine fire and all six people on board were calm, the RNLI said.

The lifeboat took the rib out of choppy waters to Berehaven Harbour where the six crew were brought onboard the lifeboat and the rib towed alongside before arriving at Casteltownbere.

‘From the time I called Coast Guard for help, Castletownbere lifeboat came into view within 11 minutes,’ said Paul O’Shea, owner of the boat.

‘I am very grateful to the crew for their speedy response and the professional manner in which they provided assistance.’

The Lifeboat Launching Authority, Brendan O’Neill, said: ‘The skipper made the right call by contacting the Coast Guard immediately which meant that the lifeboat could launch and rescue the boat before conditions deteriorated.’