The Courtmacsherry RNLI all-weather lifeboat was called out at 12.16pm this (Sunday) afternoon to go to the aid of a 17-foot pleasure boat that got into difficulties off Coolmain, east of the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.

The lifeboat, under coxswain Sean O’Farrell and with a crew of six, reached the stricken casualty within 15 minutes. The pleasure boat, with six persons on board, had encountered engine difficulties and was blown onshore at the coastline called Nuns' Cove. Conditions at sea today were blustery with winds in the area blowing Force 4 to 5, but rising from early afternoon.

At the scene, the lifeboat personnel assessed the difficulties with the casualty and two lifeboat crew members, Ciarán Hurley and Dean Hennessy, used the Trent lifeboat's X Boat to access the shoreline and secure a tow line to the stricken vessel.

The lifeboat then proceeded to tow the boat away from the shoreline and subsequently brought them back to the safe haven of Courtmacsherry Harbour.

All six crew of the pleasure boat have now docked at the Courtmacsherry pontoon and the lifeboat has been refuelled and restocked in readiness for whenever the next call-out may occur.

The lifeboat crew members Stuart Russell, Denis Murphy, Mark John Gannon, Dean Hennessy and the father and son combination of Micheál and Ciaran Hurley.

Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Station LPO Brian O’Dwyer commented: ‘We are pleased that our lifeboat was again fast away today, with our ever-ready volunteers always available, and that the rescue was carried out with great skill and precision on a dangerous coastline in today's winds.’