Double Callout For Wicklow RNLI

Wicklow RNLI volunteer crew members responded to two call outs in 24 hours beginning just hours after the station open day had concluded.

The pagers first sounded just after 9:30pm on Sunday 6 August just a few hours after the crew had finished sorting out the station following the open day that afternoon. The volunteer crew launched RNLB Ruth and David Arthur at 9:40pm and made best speed to the casualty position just south of Greystones. 

The casualty vessel was reported as a 6m long fishing vessel with one person on board which was adrift after suffering engine failure. The weather conditions were described as sea state calm with a very gentle southerly breeze. 

On arrival on scene 30 minutes after launching, the coxswain following an assessment of the situation decided that the safest option was to tow the vessel to the nearest port.  

The casualty was safely landed ashore in Greystones marina shortly after 10:35pm and the volunteer crew made their way back to Wicklow Harbour arriving shortly after 11pm where the lifeboat was made ready for the next callout. 

The second callout for the volunteers came 5:40pm on Monday 7 August. 

The alarm was raised for this call out by a concerned member of the public who saw a small inflatable dinghy with four people on board which seemed to be struggling to get back to shore due to the turning tide and the westerly wind which was blowing the dinghy offshore.  

The Wicklow based D class lifeboat was launched at 5:46pm under the command of helm Paul Sillery.

The lifeboat located the casualty 2 minutes after launching just as the dinghy and its occupants were making it ashore at Travelahawk beach. 

The lifeboat crew made their way ashore and once it was ascertained that no assistance was now required the Coast Guard stood the lifeboat down.

The crew returned to the station where the lifeboat was washed down and made ready for the next call out. 

If you see someone in trouble in the water please call 112 or 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.