Seven people have been rescued from Lough Derg over the Bank Holiday weekend in two separate incidents.
The RNLI was dispatched around half past two yesterday, following reports of a fire on board a boat off the Clare shore.
Five others were rescued when another boat ran aground in the lake on Sunday
The skipper on board the 31 foot cruiser dropped anchor and notified the Coast Guard of a fire at around 2.30 yesterday afternoon, after noticing smoke billowing from the engine.
The Lough Derg RNLI was dispatched and located the vessel at Hare Island, off the Clare shore, but the engine was no longer issuing smoke, and the situation had settled.
The passengers and their dog were found to be unharmed, and the vessel was towed back to the public harbour at Dromineer with an RNLI member on board.
It was on of two call-outs for the Lough Derg RNLI over the Bank Holiday weekend – on Sunday a 40 foot cruiser ran aground behind Illaunmore on the North Eastern shore.
The lifeboat located the vessel shortly before one o’clock and found all five passengers to be safe, unharmed and wearing their lifejackets. They were brought back to Dromineer Harbour and the boat, which had got stuck, was later lifted off the rocks.
Lough Derg RNLI is advising boat users to “enjoy the lake” but to make sure to stay on the navigation route, well clear of the shoreline”.
