Lifeboat open day in West Cork interrupted by call-out

A lifeboat open day was dramatically cut short in West Cork at the weekend when volunteers were called to the aid of a stricken vessel.

On Sunday afternoon, Castletownbere RNLI volunteers’ pagers went off during a public open day the lifeboat station in the town. The lifeboat Annette Hutton was immediately launched to go to the assistance of a rib with thirteen people aboard. Under the command of Coxswain Dean Hegarty, the lifeboat located the stricken vessel at the Bardini Reefer, a wreck in Bearhaven Harbour between Bere Island and the mainland.

The weather on-scene was described as calm and the thirteen divers onboard, members of a university sub-aqua club, were found safe and well.

The stricken boat was unable to move due to damage, so Castletownbere RNLI volunteers towed it back to Castletownbere as the open day crowd watched on from the shore. The lifeboat was back and open to the public within 15 minutes of the initial call-out.

Lifeboat Operations Manager, Paul Stevens, said: “The divers were very grateful to the lifeboat crew for their help. It is the first time we had a lifeboat open day without a lifeboat!

“Members of the public were able to view the lifeboat launch and return from a shout, and eventually go on board the boat.

“We were delighted to welcome over 200 visitors to the station – a significant number given that the RNLI is celebrating 200 years since its foundation in 1824,” he added.