ARRANMORE RNLI volunteer crew were involved in a 13 hour call out during the week.
They responded to a call for assistance from Malin Head Coast Guard to a boat with engine trouble on Wednesday.
It was located 13 miles northwest of Tory Island with five people on board.
The Severn class lifeboat launched with seven crew members on board and proceeded to the location of the stricken vessel.
On arrival, Coxswain Kieran O’Donnell said: ‘We carefully assessed whether establishing a tow was the best course of action to rescue people in danger. In the absence of a more suitable vessel and given the risks related to the vessel’s condition and location, it was determined that towing was the best course of action for all involved in this instance.
“Weather conditions at the time were quite challenging with wind force seven, gusting to force nine and swells of six – seven metres at times. I would like to thank the fishing vessel who stayed at the scene until we had the boat under tow and a very special word of thanks to the lifeboat crew on board who generously give of their time to answer the call day and night to save lives at sea.’
The boat was towed to the safety of Burtonport harbour where the lifeboat refuelled and returned to anchor at 3.15am, almost 13 hours after the call for assistance was made at 2.22pm the day before.
Crew on board the lifeboat were, Coxswain Kieran O’Donnell, relief mechanic Reamon O’Donnell, Sharon O’Donnell, John Sailor Boyle, Joe Doherty, Evan O’Donnell, Bernard John O’Donnell.
New crew member Bernard John, whose family has an unbroken record of serving with the Arranmore RNLI since 1883 said: “I have been on several local shouts since I joined the lifeboat and this one was certainly the longest and most challenging in terms of weather and time but you stick with it and wait for the next call.”
Bernard John O’Donnell