Lough derg lifeboat in action
Whilst out on exercise on Thursday at 8.30pm, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat came to the assistance of five people whose boat had suffered engine failure, at the south western end of Lough Derg at Two Mile Gate.
Upon investigation the lifeboat found five people, four adults and one child on board a 20ft boat that had suffered engine failure. They had contacted two friends for assistance, but having attempted to tow them, the battery on their jet ski failed.
The lifeboat crew, with Helm Eleanor Hooker, Robbie Garland and Owen Cavanagh on board, contacted Valencia Coast Guard to make them aware of the situation and to let them know that they were going to assist.
The lifeboat secured the jet ski and took the boat with her passengers and an RNLI crew member on board, under tow to their mooring at Killaloe. Once the boat was safely tied alongside, the lifeboat took the two jet skiers plus their vessel upriver and under the bridge at Killaloe to their launching slip, where they could recover their jet ski.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Liam Maloney advises all boat users to “fully service your boats and engines before going afloat”. He added: “If in difficulty on the lake, called 999 or 112, or use Channel 16 on VHF and ask for marine rescue.”