KILRUSH RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew saved the lives of two people minutes before darkness after their sailing dinghy capsized in difficult conditions in the Shannon Estuary at the weekend.
The incident happened south of Hog Island last Sunday at 6.02pm, when Kilrush RNLI was alerted by Valentia Coast Guard that a dinghy had overturned, leaving one man and one woman in the water.
With fading daylight, cold water, and challenging sea state, every second counted.
The 16 foot wooden fibre glass sailing boat was about 1.5km from shore enabling a quick response.
The Kilrush lifeboat crew were rapidly deployed having been paged and launched within eight minutes. Locating the casualties and their upturned vessel was made more difficult for the crew because they faced challenging sea conditions.
However, following an intensive search both casualties were found and quickly retrieved from the water.
“The two people were very very lucky. If it was ten minutes later, it would have been dark and we would be dealing with a very different situation,” said Kilrush RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Charlie Glynn speaking to The Clare Champion.
“Searching in darkness is a totally different situation. In the area where they capsized, the sea conditions were quite agitated.
“Fortunately, our station mechanic was home at the time, spotted it out sailing and then capsizing leaving two people in the water.
“The station mechanic phoned the Coast Guard directly and that alerted our pagers. It triggered a response from that perspective.
“In parallel with that capsize in the water, we had initiated a response because the casualties had a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch. And they had the correct PPE [personal protective equipment] from our perspective.
“When we heard there were two casualties it was a concern; potentially one would not be with the boat. That’s what we were launching to. And that’s what was seen. We generally have a ten-minute response…in this situation our response was very quick. We launched with three crew, and it was quite an experienced crew, and we recovered two casualties…This is what we are here for although it can be traumatic for the people in the water… This is another business day at Kilrush RNLI.”
The man and woman were medically assessed onboard, with one showing signs of hypothermia. Having recognised the urgency of the situation, the crew immediately returned to Kilrush Lifeboat Station at 6.25pm, where volunteers continued casualty care until an ambulance arrived. Both individuals were later taken to University Hospital Limerick, where they have since made a full recovery.
With Rescue 115 based just ten to 12 minutes away, they are in a good situation in Kilrush however, prevention is better than cure for the local branch.
“We aim to try to avoid drowning incidents with preventative practice rather than reactive and if we can educate pre-rescue, that is a core focus as well,” he said.
“The RNLI are based in Kilrush for a reason. Do not hesitate to call 999 or 112. There’s no shame in calling the RNLI, even for situations that can be tricky – that’s why we are here. We have launched for false alarms in the past – it is absolutely no problem.
“Training really is key. The crew on this call-out including myself, everyone of us has over 20 years experience. Kilrush, although quiet in comparison to other stations, still have a very dedicated crew, and carry out training and the RNLI as an organisation provide that. The Kilrush station currently has 15 members with a diverse range of skills and includes crew and helm members, administrators, drivers, and tractor drivers. They are always looking for volunteers.
In the past, as an organisation, they typically took on crew members with sea faring experience, but today they recruit people with different work experience like teachers and nurses. Volunteers receive structured training from the RNLI which is focused on operation training procedures.
Mr Glynn also emphasised it is absolutely no problem to launch in a false alarm, and while people may not think they are in immediate danger or there is no risk to life, weather conditions can change rapidly.
He reminded people to check wind and tide conditions before going out onto the water, wear PPE, bring communications, and if they see something, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.
Shawna Johnson, Kilrush RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager acknowledged the incident was a frightening experience for the casualties, adding that she is delighted to hear they have made a full recovery and that they are safe and well.
“From an operations perspective, everything aligned perfectly – from our station mechanic who spotted the dinghy capsize and called the Coast Guard, to the rapid launch of the lifeboat and the expert search and rescue efforts of our crew.
“The lifesaving work our volunteers do is essential, often challenging, and sometimes dangerous, but they are always prepared to drop everything and respond in a moment’s notice.”
The RNLI cautions members of the public planning to go out on the water, “To always carry a means of calling for help and wear appropriate safety gear when on the water.
“If you find yourself unexpectedly in trouble, remember to Float to Live,” they said stressing to, “Lie back in the water, keeping your head as far back as possible so your ears are wet. Extend your arms and legs and try to remain calm until you regain control of your breathing. If you
see someone else in danger in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”
Sharon Dolan D’Arcy covers West Clare news. After completing a masters in journalism at University of Galway, Sharon worked as a court reporter at the Sligo Weekender. She was also editor of the Athenry News and Views.