Lough Ree RNLI came to the aid of two fishermen who had lost engine power while enjoying the last day of the fishing season.
The wholly volunteer organisation were alerted to two fishermen whose 17 foot fishing boat had broken down at Nuns Island in the middle of Lough Ree. Conditions at the time were a blustery force 4-5 with choppy waters.
Upon arrival at Nuns Island, the crew of Inshore Lifeboat ‘The Eric Rowse’, located the two fisherman safely ashore with their boat. When the fishermen saw the lifeboat arriving, they rowed out to meet them. After some assistance to clear weed from the propeller from the lifeboat crew, the fishermen were able to start their engine and made their way, under escort from ‘The Eric Rowse’ and her crew, to Judy’s Harbour in Rinadoon Bay on the Roscommon shore of the lake. Once the two fishermen were safely in Judy’s Harbour, the lifeboat volunteers returned to the lifeboat station in Coosan Point.
Speaking on their return to base, Lifeboat Helm, Kieron Sloyan said, “as the evenings start getting shorter we would like to remind all using the lake to make sure they let someone know where they are going, when they plan to return and to always carry a means of communication either mobile phone or VHF radio with them.”
