Sleeping people who ‘drifted’ off on Lough Derg helped by RNLI

TWO people were found asleep on a boat on Lough Derg by RNLI volunteers who had been called to the scene following reports that the vessel was adrift.

On Friday morning August 12, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to investigate a report from a member of the public of a 25ft vessel adrift in Youghal Bay. 

At 8.23am Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat Jean Spier launched with helm Steve Smyth, Joe O’Donoghue and Chris Parker on board. The lake was calm with excellent visibility.  

At 8.32am the lifeboat arrived on scene having located the vessel midway between Garrykennedy Harbour and Ryan’s Point at Youghal Bay. Two people on board were sleeping and unaware that their anchor had dragged their boat from its original location. The skipper weighed anchor and made way for harbour. 

The lifeboat departed the scene and was back at Station at 8.45am and at 9am the lifeboat was washed down and refuelled. 

Aoife Kennedy, Deputy Launching Authority at Lough Derg RNLI advises boat users to “ensure you have sufficient anchor warp and chain for the area in which you anchor. Remember to carry up-to-date charts of the lake and do not anchor in the main navigation channels.”