Four call-outs for Courtmacsherry RNLI in seven days

A fisherman was rescued off the Cork coast yesterday, in what was the fourth call-out completed by the Courtmacsherry RNLI crew in the last seven days.

The crew were dispatched at 11.22am on Tuesday aboard the all-weather lifeboat Val Adnams following a distress call regarding an 18ft fishing boat, which had experienced a mechanical failure off the coast of Howe Strand at the Kilbrittain side of Courtmacsherry Bay.

The lifeboat under coxswain Ken Cashman and with a crew of five, including Dave Philips, Dara Gannon, Tom Kelly and Niamh Hurley, as well as mechanic, Stuart Russell, quickly launched and reached the casualty by 11.45am.

Upon arrival, the crew secured the fishing boat, which had one person aboard, and progressed away from the rocky shoreline before boarding the vessel, assessing the difficulties which caused the mechanical failure, and successfully completing a fix on the engine.

The fishing boat was then able to progress itself safely to harbour while the lifeboat provided watching cover alongside.

Lifeboat operations manager, Brian O’Dwyer said that it was important that the call-out was completed quickly as “the fishing boat was close to shore and while the weather was good, the winds could have caused complications for the casualty”.

Following the call-out, the lifeboat crew proceeded with their annual trip to the wreck site of the Lusitania, which sank just 12 miles off the Seven Heads coastline on May 7, 1915, claiming 1,200 lives, and poignantly laid a wreath to honour those lives lost.

Yesterday’s rescue was the fourth call-out for the Val Adnams lifeboat in the past seven days, with a call-out to a swimmer off Inchydoney Beach on May 1, and on same day, a call-out to two people that were blown off shore on a body board at Garrettstown Beach.

Both of these call-outs resulted in the persons getting to safety themselves.

The third call-out was on May 5, when the Coast Guard activated the pagers to investigate an inflatable that was reportedly seen off the Seven Heads coastline.

After a detailed search, the lifeboat recovered an unoccupied dingy off Cotton Rock on the Seven Heads coastline, that on checking, was deemed to have broken loose from a passing yacht.