Three escape yacht drama

THREE people had a lucky escape after a yacht hit rocks in Dublin Bay last week.

They were on board the 31-foot boat when the incident occurred shortly after 3pm on Wednesday (March 25) at the South Bull Wall at the entrance to Dublin Port.

Two persons clambered ashore while the third remained on board as a pilot boat and other passing vessels stood-by to assist.

The All-Weather RNLI lifeboat at Dun Laoghaire was requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard’s MRCC (Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre) in Dublin and arrived just before 4pm.

A lifeboat crewmember was put on board the yacht to assist and cut the anchor that the yacht’s crew had deployed earlier when their engine failed.

The Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit also attended and brought the yacht’s remaining crew to Poolbeg where they re-joined their boat.

Meanwhile, the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, is issuing its own call for help and is appealing for volunteers and fundraisers to get involved with

‘Mayday’, the organisation’s forthcoming national fundraising event which will take place from May 1 to 4 this year.

Street collections and fundraising events will be taking place in and around Dublin.

The charity will be calling on people to show their support – either by volunteering to help with collections and events, or by taking part in a fundraising activity, in aid of the RNLI.

Mayday will launch on Friday, May 1 and will run across Ireland over the four-day May Day bank holiday weekend.

Anyone interested in getting involved can see what is going on in their area by signing up at www.rnli.org/Mayday, or contact Pauline McGann, email [email protected]