Gallantry award for RNLI crew
The RNLI is honouring a Castletownbere crew for their dramatic rescue of six fishermen in 2018, it was recently announced.
Coxswain Dean Hegarty is to be awarded a Bronze Medal for Gallantry by the Institution and lifeboat mechanic Martin O’Donoghue, lifeboat volunteers Seamus Harrington, John Paul Downey and David Fenton, along with Deputy Launching Authority Michael Martin-Sullivan will receive a framed letter of thanks from the Chairman of the RNLI. Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul Stevens said: “This rescue was relatively fast in lifeboat terms but carried out in extremely challenging conditions and relying on absolute precision and split-second decision making by our Coxswain.”
The rescue of the six men who were the crew of the 25-metre fishing vessel, ‘Clodagh O’, took place on 10 October 2018 at an area known as the Pipers, at Castletownbere. After answering an urgent mayday call, the lifeboat launched in darkness into a force 9 gale, driving rain and heavy squalls, to rescue the crew who were in grave and imminent danger due to their vessel having lost all power after their propeller became fouled on their fishing gear. The vessel was located in a precarious position. The Coxswain made the decision not to take the crew off the boat but establish a towline in breaking four to five metre swells. With the weather deteriorating, there was only a short window of opportunity to save the men before the vessel would hit the rocks or cliff face and be lost. With the Coxswain skilfully manoeuvring the lifeboat into position, the lifeboat crew on deck established a tow on first attempt. The Coxswain had to initially steer the lifeboat out to sea to gain a safe separation between the rocks and cliffs before he could then turn the lifeboat and start the journey back to the harbour. The tow was carried out at a speed of a half a knot in case it parted, only gathering speed as they found shelter. Once inside the safety of the harbour two local tugboats helped to secure the boat alongside the pier.