Arklow RNLI volunteers respond to three call outs during busy week on the water
- Pat Nolan
- Jul 23
- 2 min read
Thursday 23 July 2026
Arklow RNLI volunteers were kept busy during the recent spell of warm weather, responding to three separate incidents over the course of a week.
The first call out came on Sunday (12 July), when the volunteer lifeboat crew were paged following reports that a kayak carrying two people had capsized close to the shoreline south of Arklow.
The two casualties had managed to scramble onto nearby rocks before the lifeboat arrived. The crew launched immediately and made their way to the scene, where both individuals were rescued and brought safely back to Arklow Lifeboat Station by road.
Casualty care was provided by the crew after both kayakers were assessed and found to have sustained minor injuries.
Just two days later, on Tuesday (14 July), the volunteer crew were tasked again following an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert, indicating a vessel potentially in difficulty.
Arklow RNLI worked alongside the local Coast Guard unit and the Rescue 116 helicopter to carry out an extensive search of the reported area. Following a thorough and coordinated operation, the directional finder indicated the signal was coming from Arklow Harbour, most likely from a moored vessel. Once the search area had been fully cleared, all emergency units were stood down.
The third call out came at 4.40pm on Thursday (16 July), when the crew launched to assist a yacht south of Arklow Harbour that had lost engine power.
A crew member was transferred onto the casualty vessel to secure a tow line. Following a full assessment of the situation by Coxswain Ned Dillon, the decision was made to tow the yacht to the nearest safe port at Arklow Harbour. The sole person on board the yacht was brought safely ashore unharmed.
Reflecting on the busy week, Arklow RNLI Coxswain Ned Dillon, who was on board for all three launches, said:
"I'd like to thank our brilliant crew for a busy week of call outs for the station. We worked well together to make a good outcome for all of them. It's obviously a big year for us with the 200th anniversary of the station here in Arklow.
"We'll be celebrating it this August Bank Holiday with our station open day from 12.30pm to 5.30pm at Arklow Lifeboat Station. Everyone is welcome to come down for our Nautical Cosplay Competition. Come dressed up as your favourite nautical character – pirate, mermaid, or lifeboat crew member. There will be prizes for the best dressed.
"Arklow RNLI is ready to respond 24/7 to anyone who is in distress in or around the water. Please don't delay in looking for help – you could save a life by calling 999 or 112 at the first sign of trouble. Please be safe and enjoy our beautiful Wicklow coastline."
