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The Irish Sun

RNLI ‘challenging' rescue ops as yacht crew member suffered back injury & yacht got ‘in difficulty' near Irish coast

They found the yacht close to shore upon arrival CAST AWAY RNLI 'challenging' rescue ops as yacht crew member suffered back injury & yacht got 'in difficulty' near Irish coast A MAJOR operation was launched by the RNLI yesterday after a yacht raised the alarm near Skerries harbour in Co Dublin. The Skerries crew set off after receiving a call from a yacht anchored near Skerries harbour, requesting assistance with an injured crew member. 2 Another vessel was making their way to Boatstrand Pier before it got into a struggle Credit: RNLI/Helvick Head The volunteers in Skerries launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat and proceeded directly to the visiting yacht, which was in sight as soon as the lifeboat left the trailer. Advertisement Once alongside, one of the volunteer crew, who also happens to be a local GP, made their way on to the yacht to assess the casualty's condition. A woman on board had fallen and suffered a back injury. And it was evident that transferring the casualty to the lifeboat was not going to be straightforward. It was decided to assist the yacht in moving alongside the pier, where more volunteers from the station would be waiting with a rigid basket stretcher. Advertisement The stretcher was lowered to the yacht and casualty was placed into it and made as comfortable as possible. With the tide quite low, there would have been a considerable risk to the casualty in hauling the stretcher up the harbour wall, so it was decided to transfer the stretcher to the lifeboat instead. The lifeboat then made its way back around the pier and was recovered back to the station. The casualty was then handed over to the care of the National Ambulance Service who transferred her to hospital for further assessment. Advertisement Conditions at the time were force one to two southerly winds with a smooth sea and moderate visibility caused by sea fog. Speaking about the call out, volunteer lifeboat press officer for Skerries RNLI, Gerry Canning, said;: "First of all we'd like to wish the lady a full and speedy recovery. "When the pagers sound, our volunteers never really know what they might be facing. "But you can always count on their calmness and composure. "There was some great teamwork and some excellent decision making on display in this shout to ensure the casualty got the best care possible." Advertisement CALL TO ACTION It comes after the Bunmahon Coast Guard in Co Waterford was called out at 12:20pm to go the aid of a yacht which had gotten into difficulties off the Boatstrand Pier. The vessel was making their way to Boatstrand Pier before it got into a struggle. The lifeboat was requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 12.20pm after a report that a yacht was in difficulty in rough seas. There was an easterly wind, Force 4–5 at the time which was creating challenging onshore conditions. The volunteer lifeboat crew including Helm Alan Kelly, Joe Foley, Shane Walsh, and Rian Kelly, quickly made their way to the scene in the inshore lifeboat. Advertisement They found the yacht close to shore upon arrival. The lifeboat crew assessed the situation and decided the safest course of action was to establish a tow and safely bring the vessel which couldn't make any onboard progress to Boatstrand Pier where they were assisted by Bunmahon Coast Guard. Speaking following the call out, Liam Harty, Helvick Head RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: "We would like to commend the sailors for wearing life jackets and having access to phone communication for raising the alarm. 'GOOD OUTCOME' "This resulted in a good outcome today and we wish both of them well. "The wind direction and sea state were challenging today so the quick actions of the yacht's crew in calling for help, combined with their use of life jackets, played a major role in their safe recovery." Advertisement Mr Harty has also issued a warning to all water users to always wear a suitable life jacket or personal flotation device while engaging in water activities. He added: "As the summer continues, we encourage all water users to always wear a suitable life jacket or personal flotation device for their activity, carry a means of calling for help, and check the weather conditions before setting out. " Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard."