The boat was on passage from Spain to Cobh.
Four people have been rescued after the 40-foot yacht they were on got into difficulty off the coast of Cork.
The Courtmacsherry All-Weather RNLI Lifeboat was called out on Saturday at 4.35am to go to the aid of the yacht that was on passage from Spain to Cobh.
The boat had developed “mechanical and other difficulties” in north-easterly Force 5 sea conditions 21 miles south-east of the Old Head of Kinsale and had requested assistance.
As such, under Coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of six, the Courtmacsherry Lifeboat – the Frederick Storey Cockburn – proceeded quickly to the area of the yacht.
Reaching the yacht at 5.45am, the lifeboat’s crew assessed the situation and decided to attach a towline to the yacht and proceed under tow at a safe speed in choppy waters to the nearest port of Courtmacsherry.
The lifeboat arrived back in the safe surrounds of the Courtmacsherry Harbour pontoon at 8.30am with the yacht.
“It was great to see so many of our volunteers respond so quickly from their beds early this morning to this callout,” Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat press officer Vincent O’Donovan said in a statement.
“It was prudent that the yacht made a decision early this morning to seek assistance in some heavy seas as they had battled the elements from 100 miles offshore.”
The incident was the volunteer Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Crew’s third callout in the last three days.
Previous callouts included a search for a reported missing swimmer off Garrettstown on Thursday who subsequently had got to shore themselves and the rescue of a 13-foot rigid inflatable boat with one person on board the same day.
Main image via Facebook/Courtmacsherry Harbour Lifeboat
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