SIX PEOPLE were rescued from a crippled cruise boat in Lough Derg on Saturday after the propeller fouled and, in high winds, it ran aground.
The alarm was raised at about 3pm when the Irish Coast Guard station at Valentia, Co Kerry, received a report of a boat in difficulty near Youghal Bay off the eastern shore of Lough Derg.
There were six young adults aboard the 37ft cruiser and it is understood the group were wake-boarding at the time.
The tow rope pulling the boards became entangled in the boat’s propellers resulting in engine failure. The skipper and crew tried to cut the lines and free the propeller, but their vessel began drifting in the winds which were reported to be gusting Force 7 at the time.
Distracted by the efforts to clear the propeller, and failing to drop their anchor, the boat ran aground on rocks.
The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to respond while the Coast Guard issued a radio message to vessels in the area to assist.
When rescuers arrived at the scene they found the cruiser on the rocks but, apparently, not seriously damaged.
A crew member went aboard the crippled vessel to ensure all were well before the cruiser was towed out to deep water. An inspection revealed the cruiser was not holed or taking water.
However the propellers remained fouled and, consequently, the boat was towed to the safety of Dromineer Bay. No one was injured in the incident.