Ballycotton RNLI Rescues Four Crew After Motorboat Suffers Engine Failure South of Cork Coast
- Pat Nolan
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Monday 15 June 2026
BALLYCOTTON, Co Cork - Ballycotton RNLI volunteers carried out a lengthy overnight rescue operation after a motorboat with four people on board suffered engine failure approximately 29 miles south of Ballycotton on Sunday night.
The RNLI lifeboat station was tasked by Valentia Coast Guard at 10.12pm on 14 June following a request for assistance from a 14-metre pleasure craft that had encountered mechanical difficulties while en route from Newlyn, UK, to Kinsale.
Following an assessment by Ballycotton RNLI Duty Launch Authority Maíre Scanlon, the station’s Trent-class all-weather lifeboat, the Frederick Storey Cockburn, was launched immediately.
As the seven-person volunteer crew made their way to the casualty vessel, conditions deteriorated, with south-easterly Force 5 winds, a two-metre swell and poor visibility creating challenging conditions for the rescue.
After a long passage offshore, the lifeboat reached the stricken vessel at approximately 12.10am. The four crew members aboard were found to be safe and in good health. However, the prevailing sea conditions and strong swell made it unsafe to transfer them directly to the lifeboat.
Instead, Coxswain Eolan Walsh decided to establish a tow. A towline was successfully connected and by 12.35am the RNLI crew had commenced the slow return journey to Ballycotton.
The lifeboat and casualty vessel arrived safely back in Ballycotton Harbour at around 5.30am on Monday morning. Once the motorboat had been secured, the RNLI crew washed down and refuelled the lifeboat before returning it to operational readiness.
Speaking after the rescue, Duty Launch Authority Maíre Scanlon praised the commitment of the volunteer crew.
“We are grateful to the number of crew that were available last night and their continued commitment to saving lives at sea. Fortunately for the crew of the motorboat, we were able to get them to safety, and all ended well.”
Coxswain Eolan Walsh was joined on the callout by navigator Eolan Breathnach and volunteer crew members Adrian Erangey, Síle Scanlon, Áine Flynn, Ronan Lynch and Johannes Reiher.
The incident highlights the importance of preparedness for offshore passages and the critical role played by RNLI volunteers in responding to emergencies in challenging conditions at sea.
