Eight Donegal fishermen were towed to safety by the RNLI Arranmore lifeboat yesterday, marking the fourth air-sea rescue alert involving an Irish-registered vessel in one week.
The 30m (98ft) steel twin-rig trawler Catherine R reported that it was in difficulty just after 10am yesterday, after it had failed to clear a rope caught in its propeller. The RNLI's offshore lifeboat on Arranmore island was launched, and reached the vessel some 18 miles northwest of the island at about 11.30am.
Winds in the area were force five to six southwesterly with a five- to six-metre swell, making it very difficult to effect a tow. By the time a line had been secured, sea conditions were deteriorating further. The tow broke several times as the lifeboat steamed for Burtonport harbour, RNLI Arranmore station spokeswoman Nora Flanagan said.
About 10 miles off Arranmore, the lifeboat requested the assistance of the Coast Guard helicopter based in Sligo as it was concerned about progress. The helicopter dropped another rope on to the fishing vessel, and the two vessels reached shelter in Burtonport shortly before 5pm yesterday.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF), representing four fishing industry organisations around the coastline, issued a statement yesterday paying tribute to the "enormous efforts" made by all those who have participated in the continuing search for seven fishermen missing off the south coast.
The FIF said it also wished to thank rescuers for the safe recovery of two of the four crew from the Kinsale-based trawler Honeydew II last Thursday, and Tuesday's winching to safety of two crew from the Wexford-based Renegade, which sank east of Tuskar Rock lighthouse.
"The entire fishing community is praying for the recovery of the bodies of those lost," the FIF said.
The federation pledged that it would "seek to ensure that all resources will be available for the ongoing recovery operation for as long as necessary". It also acknowledged the many expressions of sympathy from Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Scotland, and Cornwall, England.
The statement made no specific reference to this week's criticism of the Naval Service for failing to act upon absence of monitoring signals from the Honeydew II last week. The FIF said its focus "and that of everybody involved just now must be solely on the search, rescue and recovery operations".