AN RNLI LIFEBOAT came to the aid of a stricken fishing vessel off the coast of Cork yesterday. The boat was towed into Castletownbere and all those on board were brought to shore safe and accounted for. 

The 33-foot local fishing boat, which had three people on board, had lost its ability to manoeuvre after a rope became entangled in its propeller, the RNLI said. 

“The lifeboat received an alert at 12.29 yesterday from Valentia Coastguard Maritime Coordination Rescue Centre requesting assistance for a boat reported to be in difficulty,” an RNLI spokesperson said. 

Castletownbere RNLI’s lifeboat, the ‘Annette Hutton’, was launched within eight minutes under the command of Coxswain Dean Hegarty with crew Marney O’Donoghue, Sean ‘Bawn’ O’Sullivan, Joe Cronin, David O’Donovan and William Power.

The lifeboat arrived at the stricken vessel just after 1pm in force 3 to 4 winds and a one-metre swell. 

“Contact was made with the vessel and the decision was made to launch the lifeboat’s Y-boat with two crew aboard in an effort to cut the rope off the propellor,” the spokesperson said.

“Simultaneously, the lifeboat took the vessel in tow in an effort to take the weight off the rope and the Y-boat crew successfully removed most of the rope and freed the boat.”

But because a small amount of rope remained stuck to the rudder it was decided, for safety reasons, to continue to tow the boat back to Castletownbere, where it arrived just after 4pm.

“The three persons onboard were safe and well,” the RNLI said. 

The duty Launching Authority, Brendan O’Neill, praised the vessel’s crew for seeking assistance at an early stage and complimented the lifeboat crew for their speedy response and successful outcome.