May Day Mayday for Kilkeel Lifeboat crew

KILKEEL Lifeboat answered a Mayday call on the May Day bank holiday after a yacht struck rocks entering Carlingford Lough.
The relief Atlantic 75 lifeboat OEM Stone launched shortly after 1.15pm on Monday following an emergency call from the 41ft yacht, which had grounded at Ballagan Point on the Southern side of the lough.
Clogherhead Lifeboat was also launched to the incident in a bid to save the yacht and its two-strong crew, a man and his wife.
Kilkeel Lifeboat arrived on scene first to find the yacht so well grounded there was no immediate chance of re-floating it.
Due to the fact the vessel was listing so badly, the woman was taken from the yacht and transferred to the lifeboat while her husband remained on board.
She was taken to Carlingford Marina and the decision was taken to attempt to re-float the stricken vessel at high tide later on Monday night.
Kilkeel Lifeboat launched again at 11pm to assist in the operation. A line from the lifeboat was attached to the mast of the yacht to keep it stable and it was successfully re-floated at the first attempt.
The yacht was then able to make its own way to Carlingford Marina – its original destination earlier in the day – without any further assistance.
Kilkeel Lifeboat was crewed by John Fisher, Andrew McConnell, Raymond Newell and William Kearney.

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