Newcastle RNLI comes to the aid of five people as 56ft boat gets into difficulty
Newcastle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat, the Leonard Kent, was launched during the annual Blessing of the Sea service at the lifeboat station to help five people on a 56ft pleasure craft that had got into difficulty.
At 10am on Saturday (18 May), many of the volunteer crew were attending the Blessing of the Sea ceremony when at 10.30am, the pagers sounded and the crew, who had just started to sing the first hymn of the service, were requested to launch the all-weather lifeboat and go to the aid of those on the pleasure craft, approximately 10 miles south east of Newcastle. The boat had lost power and was drifting.
Weather conditions at the time were good with a slight Force 3 to 4 northerly wind and calm seas.
On arrival at the scene the volunteer crew established the vessel had suffered a dual engine failure whilst on passage from Kilmore.
The crew got one of the engines running again which allowed the vessel to make its way, under its own power, to Ardglass harbour, escorted by the lifeboat.
Speaking following the call out, Newcastle RNLI Coxswain Gerry McConkey said: ‘The crew on the pleasure craft did exactly the right thing in using the onboard radio to ask for help, and with the crew already at the station for the Blessing of the Sea service, we launched the lifeboat quickly and the fair weather allowed for a short passage to the scene. We escorted the casualty vessel and it’s crew into Ardglass harbour where we explained why the crew was looking particularly smart in shirts and ties underneath the RNLI kit.
'As we continue to enjoy a spell of warm weather, we would remind everyone planning at sea, to plan ahead and go prepared. Carry a means of communication, let someone know where you are going and when you are due back and should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.'
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