The RNLI were involved in a dramatic late-night rescue after five people became stuck on a yacht off the coast of Cork.
Castletownbere lifeboat was launched just after 2.00am on Thursday morning to go to the immediate assistance of the boat that was dragging its anchor in Dunmanus Bay.
The enormous 32-foot yacht, with five people on board, anchored near Dooneen point on the northern shore of the bay.
As the evening passed and the weather grew progressively worse, the yacht started to drag her anchor. The skipper became increasingly concerned and subsequently raised the alarm with Valentia Coastguard Radio.
Castletownbere lifeboat, ‘Annette Hutton’, was tasked at 2.00am and launched within minutes under the command of Coxswain Dave Fenton.
There had been a craft warning issued by Met Eireann, with a risk of choppy waters thanks to an impending storm.
The yacht was located at 2.50am and, once contact was made, it requested that it be escorted to a safer mooring.
The lifeboat escorted the yacht from Dunmanus Bay into calmer waters and she was finally moored at Lawrence Cove Marina in Bere Island just before 6.00am.
Commenting on the callout Coxswain Fenton, stated that: "The yacht made the right call in seeking help and moving to a safer mooring – there was a small craft warning in operation and the weather was deteriorating – in circumstances such as these, it is always better to err on the side of caution."
