Arklow RNLI comes to the aid of two sailors after yacht goes adrift
Arklow RNLI launched on Saturday (15 April) at approximately 2.10pm to a request to assist a yacht which had lost propulsion and was adrift with two people aboard just off the beach near the Arklow Bay Hotel.
The volunteer crew made their way to the lifeboat station and and within minutes of the request were aboard RNLB Ger Tigchlearr and enroute to the reported location just outside Arklow harbour mouth.
Once afloat the lifeboat quickly travelled the half mile to the sailors.
In worsening conditions the vessel had lost propulsion and tried to anchor and was drifting on to a lee shore approximately 50 yards from Arklow North Beach .
Once the tow was established, the crew was able to haul up the yacht's anchor to allow for the tow back into Arklow.
Arklow RNLI’s crew on this call out were Aidan Downey, Eddie McElheron, Craig O’Reilly John Tyrrell, Josh McAnaspie, Aaron Quigley and Cillian Kavanagh.
Following the call out , Mark Corcoran, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Arklow RNLI said: 'Our teams dedication and training for these scenarios really paid off this afternoon. Thankfully the sailors did all the right things which allowed our crew to get there and be able to assist. We’re very proud to say that this call out was also one of the youngest fully trained lifeboat crews ever to go to sea from Arklow and was also Cillian Kavanagh's first call out.'
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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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