Clifden RNLI rescue sailor from capsized sailing boat
The volunteer crew launched yesterday evening to rescue a sailor from the upturned hull of his sailing boat in Clifden Bay.
At 8.45pm on Thursday 25 April Clifden lifeboat crew were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to assist a sailor who was capsized in Clifden Bay. The call came in from a member of the public who had observed the sailor in difficulty from the shore. The crew launched their Atlantic 85 lifeboat Joyce King, helmed by Joe Acton with crew Alan Pryce and Shane Conneely. They were assisted by John Brendan Mannion on the shore.
The crew arrived on scene, a short distance out in Clifden Bay, to find the casualty clinging to the hull of his upturned boat. The casualty had been in the water for some time and was cold but in good spirits otherwise. Thankfully, the experienced sailor was also wearing a life vest. The crew transported the sailor back to shore to warm up and then set about righting the sail boat and towing it back to a safe mooring in the Bay.
Speaking about the shout, Clifden RNLI Helm Joe Acton said, “With this current spell of good weather we expect to see people enjoying water sports and boating activities around our coasts. We want everyone to enjoy the water and come home safely, please always remember to wear a life jacket when out on the water, always carry a mobile phone or VHF radio to call for help in an emergency. Boats should have an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) which is registered and regularly maintained. The volunteer crew at our station are on call 24/7. If you get into difficulty, or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask 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.