THE Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat was launched this Friday morning at 9am to assist a yacht which had broken away from its moorings off Bere Island in West Cork.
The yacht was spotted drifting in the channel between Bere Island and the mainland and being blown towards the shore in very windy conditions. A concerned member of the public raised the alarm requesting immediate assistance.
The lifeboat was launched within minutes under the command of coxswain Dean Hegarty and located the vessel drifting towards the shore in Force 6 to 7 winds. There was nobody aboard the yacht and no damage was sustained. At this stage, a local boat from Bere Island had the yacht taken under tow and the lifeboat accompanied both vessels to safety.
Commenting on the call-out, Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Deputy Launching Authority, Felix O’Donoghue, commended the member of the public for raising the alarm and therefore avoiding the yacht being blown ashore.
