Volunteers from Kinsale RNLI brought a sailor who'd been at sea for 52 days safely back to land this weekend.
The RNLI's lifeboat Miss Sally Anne Baggy II - Never Fear, Baggy’s Here, was requested to launch at 6pm on Saturday evening to help the solo yachtsman,
The man had left who Carriacou, one of the islands of Grenada in the Caribbean, on Thursday 13 May en route to the UK, CorkBeo reports.
However, three weeks into the voyage the 51ft ketch Sea Symphony lost engine power, forcing the skipper to continue his epic 6,500 km journey under sail.
According to the RNLI, the vessel was becalmed for 10 days when the wind dropped and when conditions allowed for sailing again, his sails were very damaged.
By the time the alarm was raised with the Irish Coast Guard on Saturday morning, the vessel was travelling at three knots per hour with "no prospect of reaching its intended destination" according to the lifeboat volunteers.
Kinsale RNLI volunteers tracked the vessel online throughout the day and grew increasingly concerned for its safety before launching a rescue mission off The Old Head of Kinsale.
Lifeboat helm Jonathan Connor placed crew member Felix Milner on board the yacht and, after consultation, decided that taking the ketch under tow was the safest way to assist the vessel to reach the nearest safe and suitable port.
Crew member Felix Milner remained onboard the yacht on the final leg of the journey to Kinsale harbour to safeguard the wellbeing of the skipper, who was exhausted but uninjured despite his long ordeal.
After arriving into Kinsale at 9.15pm, the sailor enjoyed his first hot shower in over seven weeks before being reunited with his son and two daughters, who live in West Cork and were waiting for him on the pier.
Commenting on the rescue, the sailor said: "Volunteers at Kinsale RNLI are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Their expertise and commitment leave me humbled.
"It is an institution I have always supported and will do so for the rest of my days."
Kinsale RNLI Helm Jonathan Connor added: "It is a tribute to the sailor’s seamanship that he made a 6,500 km voyage single-handed and remained calm and focused despite the many problems he encountered in the course of his journey.
"He is very fit and able but was clearly exhausted after 52 days alone at sea. We were glad to help him over the final hurdle and bring him safely to Kinsale."
