Six people rescued by Howth RNLI on busy Sunday
The volunteer lifeboat crew of Howth RNLI launched both their All-Weather and inshore lifeboats to two separate incidents yesterday (Sunday 7 August 2022).
The All-Weather lifeboat was launched shortly after 3pm to reports of a motorboat with three people on board which had suffered engine failure two miles north of the Ireland’s Eye, an uninhabited island off the coast of Howth.
Weather conditions were good with light southerly winds.
The lifeboat, under the command of Second Coxswain Ian Sheridan, located the broken down vessel within fifteen minutes of launching and once it was established that all on board were well, the crew passed a tow line from the lifeboat and the boat was towed back to Howth harbour.
At 07:15pm a call came in from a concerned sailor regarding an inflatable dinghy in Howth sound with three people on board who were attempting to row back to Burrow beach. Due to the southerly winds, the inflatable was being blown offshore.
The volunteer lifeboat crew were paged and the inshore lifeboat was launched shortly after. The lifeboat reached the inflatable in minutes and it was observed that none of the three on board were wearing life jackets. The lifeboat crew took the three individuals onto the lifeboat and returned them to the safety of Howth harbour.
Speaking following the incident, Howth RNLI inshore lifeboat helm Ian Martin said: “Although the conditions for heading out on the water were good today, things can change very quickly and with inflatables like these, even the slightest wind can take them out to sea. That is why inflatables are not suitable for Irish waters.
It’s also really important that anyone going out on the water wears a life jacket that is suitable for the activity they are doing and that it is in good working order and fits well.
With the good weather forecast for the coming week, we expect a lot of people will be spending time on or near the water. If you do get into trouble, remember to Float to Live - lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency call 999 or 112 for the Coast Guard.”
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.