Lone sailor rescued off Old Head of Kinsale

A lone sailor aboard a 30ft yacht was rescued yesterday afternoon  by the Courtmacsherry All Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat after he got into difficulties two miles south west of the Old
Head of Kinsale. This was in fact the 21st callout of 2021 for the all  weather lifeboat station in Courtmacsherry.

The Courtmacsherry All Weather Lifeboat, Frederick Storey Cockburn under coxswain Sean O Farrell and a crew of five were away quickly from their moorings, after being alerted by the Coastguard, that the yacht had suffered engine failure and a sails blow out on passage from Glandore to Kinsale.

Once the lifeboat reached the causality at 2.26pm, lifeboat coxswain Sean O Farrell assessed the situation and as the causality was completely disabled and conditions at sea were
worsening,  a decision was taken to put the lifeboat towline on board the yacht and proceed under tow to the nearest port of Kinsale.  Conditions at sea  were fresh and blustery Force 5 winds with strong 3 metre swells off the Old Head. The lifeboat proceeded to tow the causality back to Kinsale at a slow safe speed and arrived to the safe surrounds of the
Harbour Marina at 4.30 pm. The sailor was mighty pleased to see the Lifeboat  and expressed his extreme thanks to all involved in today's rescue.

The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat voluntary Deputy Launching Authority Vincent O Donovan said: ' With the freshening winds today, it was great to
reach the causality so quickly and give the lone sailor the comfort that he required. Great praise is due again for the fast response of all the crew
and officers who left their workplaces and rushed to the station, in order to help a fellow seaman in distress at sea this afternoon.'

The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Crew involved in yesterday  afternoon's callout were Coxswain Sean O Farrell, Mechanic Stuart Russell and crew members Mark
John Gannon, Dara Gannon, Dave Philips and Dean Hennessy.