Marine Times

Kilmore Quay RNLI assist five people aboard angling charter as lifeboat crew leave family confirmations to help

Kilmore Quay RNLI launched this afternoon (19 April) to assist five people aboard an angling charter boat southeast of the Saltee Islands, when rope had become entangled in the propellor. A number of the responding volunteer lifeboat crew left family confirmation celebrations to answer the call for help.

The all-weather Tamar class relief lifeboat, Victor Freeman, was requested to launch by the Coast Guard at 1.00pm today. The lifeboat was under the command of Coxswain Trevor Devereux with four crew members onboard and it arrived on scene at 13:30pm. Having checked all onboard were safe and well, it was decided that the safest course of action was to establish a tow. The lifeboat was soon underway to the nearest available harbour at Kilmore Quay, arriving at 2.00pm. Weather and sea conditions were described as good at the time.

The callout came as four of the station’s lifeboat crew are currently on passage from Poole in Dorset, to Kilmore Quay, bringing home the station’s permanent lifeboat Killarney, which has recently undergone a major overhaul. With a total of nine lifeboat crew from the Kilmore Quay crew active on lifeboats today, the station is renewing its call for interested people to consider becoming a volunteer at Kilmore Quay RNLI.

Speaking on the callout Kilmore Quay Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace said “It was great to see all onboard wearing lifejackets and having followed the correct procedures when they got snagged. Stray ropes or nets floating in the water can be a hazard to any vessel in this way.’

He went on to praise the lifeboat crew and encourage those interested to find out more about becoming a volunteer with the lifeboat station, ‘We are lucky to have a dedicated volunteer crew here in Kilmore Quay to respond to callouts. Today some left a family occasion to go and help others in need. It’s a selflessness and community spirit that we have here in our volunteers, and we’d welcome more people through the door to carry out this important work. Anyone interested is welcome to come and talk to us and training is given. There is so much to get out of volunteering for the RNLI.’

The Kilmore Quay RNLI lifeboat crew involved in the call out were coxswain Trevor Devereux, mechanic Declan Roche, Adam Kelly, Robbie Connolly and Jack Devereux.