The crew of the Galway RNLI lifeboat launched on Sunday after a report of a windsurfer in difficulty off Salthill and again on Monday morning to a boat in distress off Ballinacourty Pier.
The pagers were activated at 3.24pm yesterday afternoon (Sunday 08 September ) and the crew of Declan Killilea, Lisa McDonagh and Frankie Leonard launched the lifeboat supported by shore crew Darragh Heskin, Paddy Hennelly, Eoghan Donohue and Dave Badger.
The crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard after reports of a windsurfer in difficulty off Palmer’s Beach in Salthill. When the lifeboat arrived on the scene, around five minutes after launch, the local lifeguard had taken the casualty in hand and was making their way to shore. The lifeboat crew remained on standby until the casualty and lifeguard were safely out of the water.
Declan Killilea who was helm on the lifeboat on Sunday said the conditions at sea were difficult for windsurfers with a fresh offshore northerly breeze which is unusual for Galway.
“Luckily there was a lifeguard on duty and their actions are to be commended in identifying the difficulty the windsurfer was in, raising the alarm and getting the casualty ashore in challenging conditions.
“Once we knew that the lifeguard and the casualty were safe we headed back out the bay to try locate the windsurf sail and rigging which had been blown a distance offshore and was a potential hazard for other boats and water users. Once located, we then brought the sail on board the lifeboat and returned to the lifeboat station. We washed down the boat and refuelled ready for our next shout,” he said.
On Monday at 9.27am the lifeboat and crew were again requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard to assist a boat in distress off Ballinacourty Pier, near Clarenbridge.
The boat with two people on board was a 4m rigid inflatable boat which had lost engine power and was drifting on to rocks. The lifeboat with helm Brian Niland and crew Declan Killilea, Sean King and Frankie Leonard were at the scene around 15 minutes after launch.
After assessing the situation, one of the crew went on board the casualty boat and set up a tow to move the boat away from the rocks and out of danger. For the safety of the two people on board, the lifeboat towed the stricken boat to Ballinacourty Pier so they were able to get ashore safely. The lifeboat crew then returned to the lifeboat station and prepared the lifeboat for the next call out.
Mike Guilfoyle who was the launch authority for both rescues said Irish waters can be incredibly unpredictable and taking some simple steps to stay safe will reduce your chances of getting into trouble.
“Mechanical failure is the single biggest cause of rescue call outs to sailing or motor-powered boats, accounting for nearly 20% of all lifeboat launches.
“Knowing your boat, checking the engine and keeping it maintained can give you the best chance of an enjoyable and safe day on the water. However, if you get into difficulty or see someone in difficulty, please do not hesitate to call 999 or 112 and ask for the coast guard,” he said.
“Also, please check the local forecast for wind, swell and tide before setting out and let someone know when and where you are going out and when you expect to be back. Take a fully charged mobile phone with you and keep it stored in a waterproof pouch.
“The sea is an amazing environment, but it can be a challenging one and things can go wrong. Our lifeboat crews are on call 24/7 and when we are requested to launch by the coast guard, our volunteer crew are always ready to respond,” Mr Guilfoyle concluded.
