A MAN was rescued by Fenit RNLI Lifeboat on Saturday after his boat overturned in the water near Derrymore Island.
Following a call for assistance from Valentia Coast Guard at 4.47pm on Saturday, the volunteer crew of Fenit RNLI launched the Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) with a full crew on board having responded within minutes to their pager alert callout system.
Reports had been received of person in the sea near Derrymore Island. Volunteer RNLI crew arrived at the scene of the incident ten minutes after leaving from Fenit Pier.
Upon arriving at the scene the crew went to the area where the man had managed to swim ashore after his boat overturned.
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The man had been in the water for some 30 minutes. He had no lifejacket on at the time he entered the water.
Weather conditions would have been calm when the man set out to sea but force 4 or 5 south westerly winds had developed when the incident occurred.
The man was checked medically and was found to be in a good condition. He was brought by the RNLI to the overturned boat where it was righted. The boat was towed to Fenit Pier with the owner of the boat on board the lifeboat.
Gerard O’Donnell, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Fenit RNLI was at the station to meet the rescued man.
The crew proceeded to help draw the water out of the sunken boat by using a salvage pump. The boat was finally is a position to be moved to a more protected area close by.
The lifeboat was returned to Fenit and put back in service at 6.10pm prepared and ready for its next callout.
RNLI Volunteer Lee Sugrue was the Helmsman leading this rescue. Lee added; “the Fenit RNLI lifeboat volunteer crew responded with a very quick launch time as we were in the vicinity of the lifeboat station at the time the pagers went off. Weather conditions had deteriorated over the course of late afternoon and we are very pleased that there were no casualties today.”
Lee advised all seafarers to respect the water and always wear a lifejacket. If at any time you see someone in trouble in the water or need assistance at sea, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.