Irish Lifeboats

Galway RNLI rescues man from distressed sailboat near Renville. Photo: RNLI/Galway

Galway RNLI rescued a man from a sailing vessel which blew off course and landed on rocks near Renville, Galway, yesterday (Thursday 23 May).

The owner of the boat contacted the emergency services at about 3.45pm after his vessel was blown up onto a lee shore near Cockle Rock in Renville.

Galway RNLI Lifeboat arrived at the scene within 10 minutes and were assisted by the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 115 which was in the area at the time.

A lifeboat crew member swam ashore and helped transport the man onto the lifeboat along with the vessel’s kit. He did not require medical assistance and was brought back to Galway Docks.

The lifeboat returned to Renville, accompanied by local boat Tranquility, in an attempt to take the distressed sailboat from the rocks but the operation proved unsafe and was abandoned.

'The conditions were very difficult at the time as we were working onto a lee shore, gusting five,' explained helm Declan Kililea. 'We had to veer the lifeboat down onto the island to allow our crew member get ashore and get our casualty off and onto the lifeboat'.

The lifeboat crew on this call out were helm Declan Killilea, Kieran Tolan, Martin Oliver and Dara Oliver. The fishing vessel Tranquility was skippered by owner Patrick Oliver (also a lifeboat crew member) and Galway RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Barry Heskin.