Arklow lifeboat aids Dutch vessel

RNLI Arklow Lifeboat was launched at 9am on Tuesday morning to reports of a vessel in distress about 1 mile off Arklow.

Upon locating the vessel “INDIGO” of Amsterdam, An RNLI Arklow volunteer crew member transferred to the vessel and helped with efforts to free the ropes which had fouled the propellor and tiller system without any luck.

The crew of the vessel had also tried to free the fouled propellor and steering gear before alerting the lifeboat and following efforts to free the fouling by RNLI Arklows Crew it was decided that the safest way to free the yacht was to bring it on tow back to Arklow. A towline was established and the vessel was towed safely into Arklow, she was placed alongside at the Harbour Office.

Michael Fitzgerald-Station Mechanic said “ RNLB Ger Tigchlearr is a Dutch Legacy Lifeboat, that is, she was paid for by a Dutchman who had lost his wife and here we are bringing home an Amsterdam registered vessel safely, One Dutch Boat bringing another one home”

The crew of the stricken yacht INDIGO(veteran sailors), natives of Amsterdam arrived to the station as RNLI Arklow Lifeboat was being cleaned down and prepared for her next service.

They were keen to make a sizeable donation to RNLI Arklow for the assistance rendered. During their visit Indigo’s crew were given the full history of how RNLI is funded and also the history of our boat and how it was funded via a Legacy along with a full tour of our station and vessel.

The crew of Indigo made arrangments to free their propellor in the safety of the harbour and planned to return to their route with their next port of call being Cherbourg.

A local who spoke to the owner of the boat said " They got caught in fishing net in the early hours of this morning, It was still dark,he waited for few hours and he tried releasing the net himself, got into the water and was trying for about 30 mins, but failed, then they called the lifeboat."

(Pictures Yevette O'Beirne)