The Arranmore RNLI was tasked with rescuing a sailor from a yacht this weekend.
They responded to a call for assistance at 2:41am early this Sunday morning, as a yacht with one person onboard had suffered a loss of power 18 miles west of Arranmore Island.
The call was stood down for a time when power briefly returned to the yacht, but Arranmore RNLI volunteers were once again called upon at 7:43am when the boat had failed to make progress.
On reaching the casualty the lifeboat crew established a tow and proceeded to tow the yacht to safe moorings at Arranmore, where acting lifeboat mechanic Reamon O’Donnell offered to examine the engine. On examination Reamon identified and fixed the problem and provided the yacht with fuel. Crew on board the lifeboat were, Coxswain Jimmy Early, mechanic Reamon O’Donnell, Sean Gallagher, Jamie Neeson, Sharon O’Donnell, Finbar Gallagher and John Boyle.
The lifeboat returned to anchor at 1.45pm having refuelled at Burtonport following a six hour call out. The yachtsman decided to stay at anchor at Arranmore to rest overnight.
This is the second call for the Arranmore RNLI’s all weather lifeboat in five days, as on Tuesday evening, the 23rd of April, the volunteer crew assisted in a medical evacuation from Arranmore to a waiting ambulance at Burtonport.
Coxswain Jimmy Early said: “We are always happy to give assistance where needed. The yachtsman was really grateful for all the help in towing him to safety and repairing his engine, we have a really dedicated crew here on Arranmore and they are always prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty. We are, at present, recruiting crew members for the lifeboat and invite anybody interested in joining to come to the station for a look and a chat.”
