Life boat called to rescue stranded cruiser on Lough Derg

Lough Derg RNLI was called out to assist two people whose cruiser had suffered engine failure close to Mount Shannon.

The Atlantic 85 lifeboat Jean Spier was launched amid poor visibilty with volunteer crew Lian Knight, Stephen Smyth and helm Owen Cavanagh onboard. 

The lifeboat was on scene within minutes and crew assessed the situation. Two crew members transferred to the casualty vessel and established that the people on board were safe and well and were wearing lifejackets. They had dropped anchor and were in no immediate danger.

The crew members checked the cruiser for any damage before setting up an astern tow. The lifeboat brought the vessel to Mount Shannon where they transferred to an alongside tow to transport the cruiser into the harbour safely. The casualty vessel was tied up alongside at 1.30pm.

Speaking following the call out, Liam Maloney, Lifeboat Operations Manager said, “Before setting out on the lake, make sure your boat is serviced and has sufficient fuel for your journey. If you get into difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”