The Killaloe unit of the Irish Coast Guard was tasked last evening following reports that a vessel was taking on water on Lough Derg.
The volunteer unit was alerted shortly after 6.40pm after watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry received a report of a vessel in difficulty off Ogonolloe on the Clare shore of the lake.
It was reported that a vessel being towed by a cruiser had begun to take on water. The incident occurred off Aughinish Wood south of Scilly Island.
A Coast Guard boat crew launched from their base at Pier Head in Killaloe at 6.45pm and reached the scene within 10 minutes. A shore team was also dispatched.
The casualty vessel, a five meter rib (rigid inflatable boat), was taken on tow by the Killaloe Coast Guard boat while the cruiser was able to continue under its own power.
The rib was towed back to Killaloe where a shore team was standing by with a salvage pump. The vessel was safely moored in Killaloe and the water pumped out.
