THE COURTMACSHERRY RNLI lifeboat in Cork was called to rescue an English sailor last night after her racing yacht got into difficulty.

The woman, who was competing in a solo race, was found 10 miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale after sending out a distress call. The Courtmacsherry lifeboat took the yacht in tow and back to the safe surrounds of Courtmacsherry Pier.

The seven-person crew was joined by the Baltimore lifeboat and Coast Guard helicopter rescue 117.

The woman was taking part in a race from Falmouth, England to Baltimore when she propped and lost her steering and power in windy conditions.

It was the second call out of the evening for the Courtmacsherry crew as it was called out earlier today to go to the aid of a 40 ft pleasure fishing boat which encountered difficulties off the Seven Heads in Courtmacsherry Bay.

The station’s voluntary lifeboat operations manager Brian O’Dywer said the operation was “a great example of lifeboats and the Coast Guard helicopter acting quickly to locate the stricken yacht and carry out an important rescue”.