Kinsale RNLI rescues four people onboard 16ft motor boat off Barry's Head
Kinsale RNLI’s lifeboat Miss Sally Anne Baggy II was requested to launch yesterday (Wednesday 8 July) shortly after 11.30am to assist a motor boat off Barry’s Head, near Nohoval.
The four people on board the 16ft vessel were overcome by adverse weather conditions and called the Irish Coast Guard for assistance.
Arriving quickly on the scene, the volunteer crew assessed the boat’s occupants to ensure they were unharmed before taking the vessel under tow and returning it to the safety of Kinsale marina. It was the first time the Kinsale crew had carried out a rescue under the new RNLI Covid protocol, with the crew wearing protective masks and gloves in addition to the standard RNLI Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
Kinsale RNLI lifeboat helm Jonathan Connor said: ‘The RNLI remains on call throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. When we go on a call out, we don’t know the level of assistance required, or the proximity we will have to the people we are going to help. Safety is always paramount in our minds and wearing the full PPE and following strict RNLI guidelines minimises the risk of exposure for both our volunteer crew and those we rescue. The people onboard this boat did exactly the right thing by calling for assistance. If any member of the public gets into difficulty on the water or spots someone else in difficulty, they should call 112 or 999 immediately and ask for the Coast Guard.’
Shortly after arriving back at Kinsale RNLI station, the crew was requested to launch for a second time to assist a 30ft vessel that had lost steerage at the mouth of the harbour, but the lifeboat was stood down en route when the crew onboard managed to right the craft and make their own way to safety.
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For more information please contact Kinsale RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Tricia Tyson Tel: 083 152 9282 email: [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Ireland Media Manager Tel: 087 1254 124 or [email protected] or Nuala McAloon, RNLI Ireland Media Officer Tel: 087 648 3547 or email [email protected]
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