Volunteers with Bundoran RNLI saved three men last night following an unexpected mission during training.
A routine training exercise for the lifeboat crew turned into a five hour rescue when a fishing vessel got into difficulty off the Sligo coast.
The lifeboat crew received the call for help at 8.30pm on Tuesday when a 30ft fishing vessel with three people on board had suffered engine failure seven miles off Inismurray.
Immediately diverting to the scene, the lifeboat crew reached the vessel at 9.10pm and established a tow.
The RNLI reported that conditions were ideal for the callout with a low swell and little wind.
The tow took a number of hours, due to the size of the casualty vessel, and on reaching Mullaghmore the volunteer lifeboat crew were replaced by their colleagues, who had spent a number of hours at sea in cold conditions.
It was after 1.30am before the lifeboat crew reached home.
Commenting on the callout, Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Captain Tony McGowan said, “Our exercise night turned into a long callout for the crew and I want to thank them for their great work. Towing a vessel to safety can be a long and arduous job for a lifeboat crew but it’s an important one and we are happy to be able to assist. I also want to thank our volunteer lifeboat crew’s families who wait patiently at home and support the work of the RNLI.”
The volunteer lifeboat crew on the callout were Helm Brian Faulkner, and crewmembers Mark Vaughan, Fergal Muller and Chris Fox.
