Ballyglass RNLI assisted three fishermen after their 40ft trawler got into difficulty off the Mayo coast on Wednesday afternoon. The volunteer crew was requested to launch the all-weather lifeboat shortly after 10am on Wednesday following a report that a fishing vessel with three on board was experiencing problems some 28 nautical miles north of Benwee Head.
Weather conditions at the time were described as favourable with a calm sea and good visibility. The lifeboat under coxswain John Walsh and with six crew members on board launched at 10.25am. Once on the scene approximately an hour and a half later, the lifeboat crew observed that no one was in immediate danger and began to work with the fishing crew to set up a tow. With a rope in place, the lifeboat began the slow tow back to Ballyglass, an ongoing passage which took five hours.
Agatha Hurst, Ballyglass RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat press officer, said: "The fishermen did the right thing this morning and requested assistance when their vessel got into difficulty. The lifeboat crew successfully set up a tow and we hope to have everyone returned safe and well to Ballyglass later this afternoon."
