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Clifden RNLI rescued a sailor on Thursday evening after he got into difficulty when his boat capsized a short distance out to sea in Clifden Bay.
The Clifden lifeboat crew were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard at 8.45pm on Thursday evening to assist the sailor after a member of the public spotted the sailor in the water.
The Joyce King lifeboat arrived on the scene, where the crew found the casualty clinging to the hull of his upturned boat.
The casualty, who was wearing a life jacket, had been in the water for some time and was cold – but in good spirits otherwise.
He was transported back to shore to warm up, and then the crew set about righting the sail boat and towing it back to a safe mooring in the Bay.
The Atlantic 85 lifeboat was helmed by Joe Acton with crew Alan Pryce and Shane Conneely, and they were assisted by John Brendan Mannion on the shore.
Speaking about the shout, Clifden RNLI Helm Joe Acton, said that with this current spell of good weather, they expect to see people enjoying water sports and boating activities around our coasts.
“We want everyone to enjoy the water and come home safely, please always remember to wear a lifejacket when out on the water, always carry a mobile phone or VHF radio to call for help in an emergency,” he said.
“Boats should have an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) which is registered and regularly maintained. The volunteer crew at our station are on call 24/7. If you get into difficulty, or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”
