Boats run aground on Lough Derg

A CRUISE boat carrying 15 people ran aground on Lough Derg on Monday after the skipper misread his charts and strayed onto the wrong side of the navigational markers.

The alarm was raised at around 5.30pm when the vessel got into difficulty on the north-eastern end of the lake. The Coast Guard also broadcast a message to other vessels in the area to assist if possible.
The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was launched within minutes and when the crew arrived at the stricken cruiser, which had grounded off Kylnoe Point, they discovered the 40ft cruiser on rocks in shallow waters.
A lifeboat member made his way to the stranded vessel, while the rescue boat remained a safe distance away.
Of the 10 adults and five children on board, only two people were wearing lifejackets as they were on the upper deck. The RNLI crew, with helm Eleanor Hooker, Robbie Garland and Owen Cavanagh, requested that the others don their safety equipment while the recovery operation was going on.
The lifeboat slowly towed the grounded vessel to deeper water so a detailed examination of the hull could be undertaken. It was established that the cruiser had not been holed and after the steering and propulsion systems were checked, the lifeboat crew stood down.
Representatives from the hire company also travelled to the scene, where they met with the clients. The group had undergone a two-hour briefing before taking the cruiser onto the lake. However, they were given a refresher course at the scene before being allowed to get underway again.
Meanwhile, a cruiser carrying 15 people was towed to safety on Tuesday night after running aground on Lough Derg. Nobody was injured in the incident, which occurred at Cormorant Island shortly before 10pm.
The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat towed the 40-foot boat off the rocks and assisted it to Dromineer Bay.