The Courtmacsherry All Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out Tuesday June 29th at 9.10am, to go to the aid of a 32 foot Yacht with a lone sailor on board that got into difficulties 15 miles south west of Courtmacsherry Bay in West Cork. The Courtmacsherry All Weather Lifeboat, Frederick Storey Cockburn under volunteer Coxswain Kevin Young and a crew of 4 were away quickly from their moorings, as a pan pan alert was issued by the Coastguard, that the yacht had suffered a broken mast, disabled steering plus engine failure and required immediate assistance. The yacht was at sea for the past 14 days while on passage from the Azores to Ireland when the incidents occurred in poor conditions over the past few days. Once the Lifeboat reached the causality at 10.10 am, Lifeboat Coxswain Kevin Young assessed the situation and as the causality was completely disabled, a decision was taken to put the Lifeboat towline on board the yacht and proceed under tow to the nearest port of Courtmacsherry. The weather at sea had improved overnight and the Lifeboat proceeded at a safe towing speed back to safe surrounds of the Courtmacsherry pontoon, while also putting one crewperson on board the yacht to help a very tired skipper as they took the yacht alongside while traversing the Harbour Channel and final arriving to the Village Pontoon at 1.15pm. The skipper of the Yacht suffered the mast break four days ago and without any sleep since in gusting weather, was mighty glad to be on safe grounds of Courtmacsherry after being completely disabled at sea earlier this morning.


The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat voluntary Lifeboat Operations Manager Brian O Dwyer said “We are all so relieved that the crewmen was rescued so quickly this morning and praised the great response of all the crew and officers who left their workplaces and rushed to the station, in order to help a fellow seaman in distress at sea this morning”. The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Crew involved in this morning’s callout were Coxswain Kevin Young, Mechanic Pat Lawton and crewmembers Tadgh McCarthy, Evin O Sullivan and Conor Tyndall. The Lifeboat has now refuelled and re stocked, in readiness of whenever the next call to action may occur. This was the 17th callout of 2021 for the All Weather Lifeboat Station in Courtmacsherry.