Galway RNLI crew rescue sailor from yacht aground on Galway Bay
- Pat Nolan
- 19 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Sunday 9 August 2026
Galway RNLI lifeboat volunteers rescued a lone sailor this afternoon after his 25-foot sailing boat went aground and began taking on water near Aughinish on the south shore of Galway Bay.
The Galway RNLI volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Coast Guard at lunchtime today after the alarm was raised.
The crew of Eoin Carey, Máirtín Folan, Leo Branagan and helm James Rattigan were already at Galway RNLI station for a planned exercise and had just launched the lifeboat when the call came through.
The timing meant the lifeboat and crew were able to proceed without delay to the casualty, arriving at the scene approximately 15 minutes later.
On arrival, one of the lifeboat crew went aboard the sailing boat to assess the condition of the vessel and check on the welfare of the sailor.
The sailor was found to be well. However, with the sailing boat taking on water, the lifeboat crew decided to bring him aboard as a precaution.
The sailor was safely transferred to the lifeboat and taken to a nearby harbour, where he was able to get ashore safely.
Following an assessment of the casualty vessel, the lifeboat crew determined that it was not safe to tow. As the sailing boat was not close to the shipping channel and did not pose a danger to other boats or water users, it was left securely at anchor.
Peter Navan, who was on duty as RNLI Launch Authority when the call was received, said the crew's quick response had been helped by the fact that they were already on the water.
“The sea conditions were moderate this afternoon with some wind and the visibility was poor. Despite this, the lifeboat and crew were able to cross Galway Bay to the south shore in good time.
“We knew from the Coast Guard that a sailing boat had gone aground and was taking on water, so there was no time to waste. Luckily, we had the lifeboat and crew already on the water when the call came in, which really helped to speed things up.
“The crew's assessment of the condition of the sailing boat was that it wasn't safe to tow and, as it wasn't near the shipping channel or in any danger to other boats or water users, it was left on anchor.
“Our priority is always the welfare of the casualty and our crew and making sure they all get home safely.”
Peter also praised the sailor for taking the correct action when the situation developed.
“Today was an example of the importance of having the means of communicating with you at all times when on the water. It is also important to call for help when you get into trouble and not wait to see if things improve.
“The sailor did the right thing by making the call to the Coast Guard once the boat went aground. This meant that we were able to get the lifeboat and crew ready and heading to the casualty boat in good time in order to rescue the sailor.
“In addition, the sailor was wearing a lifejacket and had dropped the anchor, which was the right thing to do.”
The Galway RNLI Launch Authority advised sailors and other water users to make sure they are familiar with the use of their safety equipment before heading afloat.
“Our advice is to use an anchor in an emergency. It can prevent you from drifting and make it easier for our crew to find you.
“Always have an anchor suitable for your boat and practise using it so that it is second nature if you need to anchor in an emergency.”
The callout was also a significant one for helm James Rattigan, who was attending his first operational launch in that role.
Peter Navan added:
“Today's shout went really well and it was a great outcome to be able to get the sailor off the sailing boat and ashore safely.
“It happened to be the first shout for our new helm James Rattigan and it was not straightforward, but nothing that his training hadn't prepared him for.”
The successful rescue once again highlights the importance of carrying a reliable means of communication, wearing a lifejacket and knowing how to use safety equipment when going to sea.
