A group of fishermen were rescued off the coast of Co Mayo last night.
Five fishermen, who were stranded on board their vessel 40km north of Erris Head, were rescued by Ballyglass Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
At about 10pm on Tuesday night, the Irish Coast Guard requested the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat go to the assistance of a local fishing vessel, which was in difficulty.
The skipper of the fishing vessel had called the coast guard after a rope fouled the boat’s propeller, making it impossible for them to proceed.
The RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew went to the aid of the fishermen, crossing heavy seas in the process.
There was a strong northwesterly wind with a force of 6-7, as well as poor visibility, which made conditions challenging for both the lifeboat and the fishing vessel.
Once on the scene, the lifeboat crew assessed the situation and proceeded to set up tow ropes to bring the crabber and five crew members safely home to Ballyglass pier.
According to the RNLI, the return was “slow and arduous”, and the two boats only reached the harbour just after daybreak.
The lifeboat was then refuelled, washed down and was back on her mooring by 8.30am. The volunteer RNLI crew then departed for their day jobs.
‘Fantastic response’
“There was a fantastic response by so many of our volunteer crew who showed up at such a late hour on a wild night,” said James Mangan, Ballyglass RNLI coxswain.
“It’s a testament to their dedication and training that a successful rescue was carried out under challenging conditions.”
Mr Mangan added that the RNLI were happy to give assistance to the fishing crew.
“Though we are a charity, we have the best of equipment and training to ensure we are always ready to save lives at sea,” he said.