A FATHER and his two children had to be rescued over the weekend after their boat ran aground off Baltimore in west Cork.
The alarm was raised shortly after 10.40pm on Saturday when the engine failed on their rib on the rocky shore. The Baltimore Lifeboat was called out and brought the three people to the harbour. John Kearney, who is the helm of the inshore lifeboat, said conditions were poor when the incident occurred.
“Three individuals that got broken down went ashore the rocks on Baltimore harbour. So at this stage the visibility was a hundred metres, it was poor conditions and quite dark. We recovered them and we recovered the boat to the shore safely.”
It was the second incident involving Baltimore Lifeboat station over the weekend.
A yacht dragging its anchor in Church Strand, Baltimore, called for assistance while winds were freshening to force seven from the southwest with heavy rain and poor visibility, a statement from the lifeboat service said.
The alarm was raised at 8.15pm on Saturday. Mr Kearney and two other crew members provided assistance to the lone yachtsman. They helped to secure the vessel and escorted it back to Baltimore harbour.