TWO CRAB fishermen were recovering from a 12-hour ordeal in a life-raft yesterday after their timber boat sank in a swell off the north Mayo coast.
John O’Donnell (18) and Nathan Flannery (20), from the neighbouring villages of Porturlin and Rossport in Erris, had no time to issue a Mayday alert before their vessel capsized about 15 miles north of Belderrig on Saturday.
They also had to struggle in the sea with their life-raft, which surfaced after the 36-foot crab potter sank.
The men described how they narrowly missed an earlier rescue and how a pod of dolphins swam with their life-raft for many hours until they were located by the Sligo-based Irish Coastguard Sikorsky helicopter at 1.30am yesterday.
The pair were moving crab pots closer inshore when the incident occurred. Their vessel, Léim an Bhradáin, was in a heavy swell and the pair were hauling pots when a wave came across the stern.
The boat broached and capsized. The pair were thrown into the sea, with no time to reach their VHF radio to raise the alarm.
Fortunately, the vessel’s life-raft released and floated to the surface. However, although it began to inflate on contact with water, its straps were jammed. Mr O’Donnell found a car key in his pocket and managed to cut the straps, allowing the raft to fully inflate.
The pair clamboured aboard and tried to keep warm, estimating the time at about 1pm on Saturday. Weather conditions were southerly force two to three with moderate sea conditions, but this particular area of coastline is known for its heavy seas.
Some time during the afternoon, an Irish Coast Guard helicopter flew overhead on a training mission, but the pair were unable to activate a smoke flare in time which might have alerted the aircraft’s crew.
Mr O’Donnell is a cousin of Erris fisherman Pat O’Donnell who is a leading opponent of the Corrib gas project. He described how a pod of dolphins caught up with the life-raft as darkness fell.
He said they were “glad of the company”, but a bit worried as the dolphins kept nudging the raft. The dolphins stayed with them until they could hear a helicopter overhead.
The men had been due back into Porturlin pier at 6pm on Saturday. Several local fishermen had tried to contact them on the radio and by phone when they were overdue.
“It wouldn’t be unusual for a boat to be several hours late,” Pat O’Donnell said. “We began driving up by Downpatrick head to see if we could see anything, and kept trying to contact them. It was then we got really worried.”
Malin Coast Guard was alerted, and tasked the Sligo Sikorsky helicopter and the RNLI Ballyglass lifeboat shortly after 11pm. The radio station liaised with the vessel’s owner and local fishermen to try to calculate the men’s position.
The life-raft was spotted by the helicopter at 1.30am. However, it was concerned about capsizing the raft if it attempted to put a winchman down, and it directed the lifeboat, under coxswain John T Gaughan, to the area.
The two men were assisted on board the lifeboat shortly before 2am and taken to Ballyglass pier, where family and friends were waiting anxiously. The life-raft was also picked up by the lifeboat.
The ban on driftnetting for salmon has forced smaller boats further out to work on shellfish in harsher sea conditions.
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board is expected to investigate the incident.