3 rescued from yacht of west coast

Three men were rescued from a sinking yacht off Spiddal, Co Galway today.

Three men were rescued from a sinking yacht off Spiddal, Co Galway today.

The three men had just set sail on a 21ft sloop when it sprang a leak,
according to the lifeboat.

A local angling boat picked the men up and took their boat in tow.

The Galway RNLI lifeboat and Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter were both tasked, and arrived on scene shortly afterwards.

The lifeboat crew under command of helm Brian Niland towed the semi-submerged yacht back to Spiddal pier.

In a separate incident, the Baltimore RNLI lifeboat coxed by Kieran Cotter took a 12 year-old girl requiring medical assistance from Cape Clear island, Co Cork to the mainland at the weekend. The young girl was accompanied by the island's public health nurse.

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins is the former western and marine correspondent of The Irish Times