Ballyglass RNLI rescue five fishermen off north Mayo coast

BALLYGLASS RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat has assisted in the rescue of five fishermen off the north Mayo coast.

The crew were requested to launch on Tuesday night by the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a local fishing vessel in difficulty 25 nautical miles north of Erris Head.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were alerted at 10 p.m. and rushed to the aid of the vessel, making their way through heavy seas.

The skipper had called the Coast Guard when a rope had fouled the propeller, making it impossible for them to proceed.

A strong north-westerly wind and poor visibility made for challenging conditions for both lifeboat and the casualty vessel.

At the scene, the lifeboat crew set up tow ropes to bring the crabber and her five crew safely home to Ballyglass pier.

It was a slow and arduous return in the dark and they reached the harbour just after daybreak.

Said James Mangan, Ballyglass RNLI coxswain: “There was a fantastic response by so many of our volunteer crew who showed up at such a late hour on a wild night. It’s a testament to their dedication and training that a successful rescue was carried out under challenging conditions.

“We were happy to give assistance to the fishing crew who were going about their work when they got into difficulty.

“Though we are a charity, we have the best of equipment and training to ensure we are always ready to save lives at sea.”