Skerries RNLI respond to reports of raft adrift

Skerries RNLI were tasked on Monday morning to investigate reports of a raft adrift near Lambay island.

Shortly before 8am, Dublin Coast Guard requested that the volunteer crew at Skerries RNLI launch their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat following a VHF call from a lobster fishing boat to report what appeared to be a raft drifting to the north east of Lambay island.

The lifeboat plotted a course for Lambay and despite a heavy sea fog in places were soon on scene.

The reported raft turned out to be a small sailing dinghy.

There were no persons on board.

Following a consultation with Dublin Coast Guard to ensure there were no reports of missing persons, and upon further inspection of the boat, it was clear that boat had come adrift from a mooring somewhere.

With patches of heavy fog in the area, the potential of poor visibility meant that the boat presented a collision hazard to other vessels in the area, the decision was taken to bring it back to Skerries.

The lifeboat returned safely to the station and the vessel was left at the slipway where Dublin Coast Guard had requested that Fingal County Council collect it.

Conditions at the time were calm with a force one northerly wind.

Speaking about the call out, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning said: “Thankfully there was nobody in trouble in this instance.

“However, the fishing vessel made the right call contacting the Coast Guard to report it.”